The beginning and development of the native arms production of the LTTE.
The beginning and development of the native arms production of the LTTE.
The LTTE had started manufacturing its own weapons at the very early stage of our liberation struggle.
When the Indian Army set foot in Tamileelam, the weapons used by the Indian Army against the LTTE were all the most sophisticated types. At that time, the LTTE, which was a guerrilla fighting organization in the jungle, did not have such modern weapons. Therefore, the LTTE was slightly behind in terms of armed force.
During the initial period of the Indian Army’s arrival in Tamileelam, the strength of the Indo-Sri Lankan joint force prevailed in the war. But this situation did not last long.
In accordance with the national leader’s thinking that “There is a weakness in any force and the secret of the success of our struggle is to identify and attack it,” the LTTE then started manufacturing indigenously manufactured landmines. The “Johny Vedi” made by the LTTE using locally available raw materials was the weapon of choice for the Indian and Sri Lankan armies that day.
The LTTE´s precise mine attacks claimed the lives and legs of the soldiers searching for the LTTE in the jungles.
It is a fact that no matter what modern weapons the enemy had, they could not do anything against the LTTE´s mines that were lying on the ground.
The Ponnaman Minesweeper Division, which was later formed by the national leader in memory of Ponnamman, who played a major role in the production of the “Johny Vedi”, caused heavy losses to the enemy through mine attacks on the battlefields and turned the battlefields in the LTTE´s favor.
Johny 95,
Johny 99 (Rangan),
Johny Electric Foot Mine
Major Ilavaluthi
VS 50
Rai 72
M 969
Claymore
Quilon projectiles, etc. are some of the weapons manufactured by the LTTE in Tamileelam.
It is noteworthy that the LTTE’s weapons production, which began then, developed further in the following periods and reached its next stages, developing further into the LTTE’s domestically manufactured aircraft, the LTTE’s domestically manufactured submarines, and light anti-aircraft guns.
(Translation by Tamilpriya)
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