Sri Lanka - Army Order of Battle
11 Division | Panagoda, Western Province |
21 Division | Trincomlee |
22 Division | Trincomlee |
23 Division | Batticaloa |
51 Division | Jaffna Town |
52 Division | Vadamarachy |
53 Division | Mullaittivu |
54 Division | Mannar |
55 Division | Mullaittivu |
56 Division1 | Vavuniya |
57 Division | Mullattivu |
58 Division | Mullaittivu |
59 Division | Mullaittivu |
61 Division | Vavuniya |
62 Division | Jaffna Peninsula |
The 55 Division was the strongest Division the Army had in 2006 and it had over 10,000 infantry troops organised into four Brigades. It had 68 per cent of the Sri Lanka Army armour - armoured personnel carriers to the lighter tanks to the heavier tanks and all kinds of artillery comprising around 38 per cent of the Sri Lanka Army artillery guns supported by the signallers and the engineers.
Orbat.com reported that as of 2009 the Sri Lankan Army was organized into 14 divisions, consisting of 36 Infantry brigades. It appeared that 53 Division controlled the Armor, Airmobile, and SF Brigades. The constituent brigades can be switched to other divisions as needed.
As of 2010 Sri Lankan Army was probably organized into 15 divisions. Orbat.com reported that as of 2009 that 54 Division had been abolished. The LTTE couldn’t sustain the momentum of its offensive action in spite of the collapse of the SLA’s 54 Division headquartered at Elephant Pass in early 2000. But in December 2010 the Sri Lankan military reported that 54 Division deployed in Mannar area conducted a 'Sramadana' campaign to clean the buildings and surrounding of the Mannar district hospital on 09 October 2010 in parallel to series of events organized to celebrate the 61st anniversary of Sri Lanka Army. The 'Sramadana' campaign was organized under the directives of 54 Division Commander Brigadier Maithree Dias and over 100 army personnel participated for the 'Sramadana'. Speaking to defence.lk Brigadier Maithree Dias said, "the 'Sramadana' campaign was mainly focused on cleaning the potential dengue breeding locations around the hospital premises". Further, the drainage cannels of the hospital were also cleared during the 'Sramadana' campaign.
Like the Indian Army, the Sri Lankan Army largely retained the British-style regimental system that it inherited upon independence. The individual regiments (such as the Sri Lanka Light Infantry and the Sinha Regiment) operate independently and recruited their own members. Like the Indian Army, the Sri Lankan Army's regiments are not operational tactice units [a role performed by Brigades], but rather are recruitment, training and lineage units.
Officers tended to remain in a single battalion throughout their careers. The infantry battalion, the basic unit of organization in field operations, included five companies of four platoons each. Incomplete reports suggested as of 1988 that a typical platoon had three squads (sections) of ten personnel each. Battalions of these regiments are denominated as 18 VIR (Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment), or 20 SLSR (Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment), etc.
In addition to the basic infantry forces, a commando regiment was established in 1986. Support for the infantry was provided by two reconnaissance regiments (one regular, one reserve), two field artillery regiments (one regular, one reserve), one antiaircraft regiment, one field engineering regiment, one engineering plant regiment, one signals battalion, a medical corps, and a variety of logistics units.
Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and Commander in-Chief of the Armed Forces, by virtue of the powers vested by Section 3(2) of the Army Act (Chapter 357), determined that the following units to be elements of the Regular Force of the Sri Lanka Army with effect from the dates mentioned against them. This order - 03-551 - effective as of 23rd February, 2010, was published in PART I : SEC. (I) - GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA - No. 1643/4 - MONDAY, MARCH 01, 2010.
This table is not a complete listing of Sri Lankan Army units, but rather a list of those units which had been formed starting in the year 2000.
Higher Headquarters | |
---|---|
Security Force Headquarters (East) | 31 October, 2003 |
Security Force Headquarters (Kilinochchi) | 05 June, 2009 |
Security Force Headquarters (Mullaittivu) | 05 June, 2009 |
57 Division | 04 February 2007 |
59 Division | 01 December 2007 |
61 Division | 05 May 2008 |
58 Division | 03 January 2009 |
65 Division | 18 September 2009 |
Area Headquarters (Welioya) | 20 August 2004 |
Area Headquarters (Hambantota / Yala) | 07 November 2007. |
Forward Maintenance Area (Kilinochchi) | 11 August 2009 |
Forward Maintenance Area (Mullaittivu) | 17 August 2009 |
Brigades | |
515 Brigade | 22 February 2000 |
571 Brigade | 04 February 2007 |
572 Brigade | 04 February 2007 |
581 Brigade | 02 July 2007 |
582 Brigade | 02 July 2007 |
583 Brigade | 01 October 2007 |
591 Brigade | 01 December 2007 |
592 Brigade | 01 December 2007 |
612 Brigade | 05 May 2008 |
234 Brigade | 10 June 2008 |
631 Brigade | 25 October 2008 |
641 Brigade | 10 December 2008 |
642 Brigade | 10 December 2008 |
651 Brigade | 15 December 2008 |
652 Brigade | 15 December 2008 |
661 Brigade | 10 January 2009 |
662 Brigade | 10 January 2009 |
593 Brigade | 15 February 2009 |
554 Brigade | 08 July 2009 |
573 Brigade | 11 March 2009 |
594 Brigade | 11 March 2009 |
595 Brigade | 12 March 2009 |
672 Brigade | 08 July 2009 |
683 Brigade | 08 July 2009 |
671 Brigade | 08 July 2009 |
684 Brigade | 23 July 2009 |
623 Brigade | 01 August 2009 |
632 Brigade | 12 August 2009. |
Regiments and Battalions | |
14th Rocket Regiment Sri Lanka Artillery | 25 July 2001 |
4th Commando Regiment | 15 March 2003 |
3rd Battalion the Sri Lanka Army General Services Corps | 02 November 2006 |
4th Battalion the Sri Lanka Army General Services Corps | 02 November 2006 |
15th Medium Regiment the Sri Lanka Artillery | 01 December 2007 |
11 Field Regiment the Sri Lanka Engineers | 01 December 2007 |
11th Battalion the Sri Lanka Light Infantry | 25 June 2007 |
12th Battalion the Sri Lanka Light Infantry | 01 December 2007 |
15th Battalion the Sri Lanka Light Infantry | 01 December 2007 |
12th Battalion the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 25 June 2007 |
14th Battalion the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 01 December 2007 |
11th Battalion the Gemunu Watch | 25 June 2007 |
12th Battalion the Gemunu Watch | 01 December 2007 |
12th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment | 25 June 2007 |
14th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment | 01 December 2007 |
11th Battalion the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment | 25 June 2007 |
14th Battalion the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment | 01 December 2007 |
3rd Commando Regiment | 08 March 2007 |
4th Regiment Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps | 09 March 2007 |
Electrical and Mechanical Engineer (Armoured) Battalion | 17 May 2007 |
9th Regiment the Sri Lanka Signal Corps | 21 April 2008 |
19th Battalion the Sri Lanka Light Infantry | 01 October 2008 |
20th Battalion the Sri Lanka Light Infantry | 01 December 2008 |
16th Battalion the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 01 July 2008 |
20th Battalion the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 01 October 2008 |
21st Battalion the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 01 December 2008 |
17th Battalion the Gemunu Watch | 01 October 2008 |
18th Battalion the Gemunu Watch | 01 December 2008 |
16th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment | 01 October 2008 |
18th Battalion the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment | 01 October 2008 |
4th Battalion Mechanized Infantry Regiment | 01 February 2008 |
4th Regiment Special Force | 15 June 2008 |
5th Engineer Services Regiment | 13 August 2009 |
5th Regiment Sri Lanka Army Ordnance Corps | 13 August 2009 |
4th Battalion Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineering | 13 August 2009 |
4th Regiment Sri Lanka Corps of Military Police | 13 August 2009 |
23rd Battalion the Sri Lanka Light Infantry | 03 July 2009 |
23rd Battalion the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 01 August 2009 |
19th Battalion the Gemunu Watch | 01 January 2009 |
20th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment | 01 January 2009 |
22nd Battalion the Gajaba Regiment | 03 July 2009 |
19th Battalion the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment | 01 January 2009 |
5th Commando Regiment | 10 April 2009 |
5th Regiment Special Force | 10 April 2009 |
24th Battalion the Sri Lanka Light Infantry | 10 September 2009 |
22nd Battalion the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment | 05 September 2009 |
23rd Battalion the Gajaba Regiment | 18 August 2009 |
24th Battalion the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 01 October 2009 |
23rd Battalion the Gemunu Watch | 07 October 2009 |
24th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment | 12 October 2009 |
Reinforcement Regiments of the Regular Force | |
6th Regiment the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps (Reinforcement) | 11 July 2007 |
9th Regiment the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps (Reinforcement) | 01 December 2007 |
16 Regiment the Sri Lanka Artillery (Reinforcement) | 01 December 2007 |
10th Regiment the Sri Lanka Engineers (Reinforcement) | 11 June 2007 |
12th Regiment the Sri Lanka Engineers (Reinforcement) | 01 December 2007 |
7th Regiment the Sri Lanka Signal Corps (Reinforcement) | 01 December 2007 |
10th Regiment the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps (Reinforcement) | 01 June 2008 |
17th Regiment the Sri Lanka Artillery (Reinforcement) | 01 February 2008 |
18th Regiment the Sri Lanka Artillery (Reinforcement) | 01 July 2008 |
14th Regiment the Sri Lanka Engineers (Reinforcement) | 01 June 2008 |
8th Regiment the Sri Lanka Signal Corps (Reinforcement) | 01 February 2008 |
10th Regiment the Sri Lanka Signal Corps (Reinforcement) | 01 July 2008 |
Units of the Volunteer Force | |
3rd (Volunteer) Military Intelligent Corps | 21 April 2004 |
23rd Sri Lanka National Guard | 01 July 2006 |
6th (Volunteer) Engineer Services Regiment | 06 January 2006 |
7th (Volunteer) Engineer Services Regiment | 06 January 2006 |
8th (Volunteer) Engineer Services Regiment | 24 April 2006 |
16th (Volunteer) Sri Lanka Light Infantry | 01 December 2007 |
17th (Volunteer) Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 01 December 2007 |
15th (Volunteer) The Gemunu Watch | 01 December 2007 |
17th (Volunteer) The Gajaba Regiment | 01 December 2007 |
15th (Volunteer) The Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment | 01 December 2007 |
07th Sri Lanka National Guard | 23 July 2007 |
08th Sri Lanka National Guard | 15 August 2007 |
24th Sri Lanka National Guard | 01 December 2007 |
25th Sri Lanka National Guard | 01 December 2007 |
17th (Volunteer) Sri Lanka Light Infantry | 30 March 2008 |
18th (Volunteer) Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 30 March 2008 |
19th (Volunteer) Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 31 August 2008 |
16th (Volunteer) The Gemunu Watch | 30 August 2008 |
18th (Volunteer) The Gajaba Regiment | 30 March 2008 |
19th (Volunteer) The Gajaba Regiment | 25 September 2008 |
16th (Volunteer) The Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment | 30 March 2008 |
9th (Volunteer) Engineer Services Regiment | 01 November 2008 |
10th (Volunteer) Engineer Services Regiment | 01 November 2008 |
26th Sri Lanka National Guard | 30 March 2008 |
27th Sri Lanka National Guard | 01 August 2008 |
28th Sri Lanka National Guard | 27 September 2008 |
29th Sri Lanka National Guard | 04 November 2008 |
30th Sri Lanka National Guard | 07 December 2008 |
31st Sri Lanka National Guard | 26 December 2008 |
18th (Volunteer) Sri Lanka Light Infantry | 01 January 2009 |
21st (Volunteer) Sri Lanka Light Infantry | 13 March 2009 |
22nd (Volunteer) Sri Lanka Light Infantry | 10 June 2009 |
22nd (Volunteer) Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 01 July 2009 |
20th (Volunteer) Gemunu Watch | 08 March 2009 |
21st (Volunteer) The Gemunu Watch | 28 April 2009 |
22nd (Volunteer) The Gemunu Watch | 25 July 2008 |
21st (Volunteer) The Gajaba Regiment | 12 March 2009 |
17th (Volunteer) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment | 05 January 2009 |
20th (Volunteer) Vijayabahu Infantry Reginment | 13 March 2009 |
21st (Volunteer) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment | 01 August 2009 |
06th (Volunteer) Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps | 10 April 2009 |
32nd Sri Lanka National Guard | 01 January 2009 |
33rd Sri Lanka National Guard | 08 March 2009 |
34th Sri Lanka National Guard | 08 March 2009 |
35th Sri Lanka National Guard | 13 March 2009 |
36th Sri Lanka National Guard | 28 April 2009 |
The Security Force Headquarters (East) was raised on 31 October 2003 by ARO 02/2004. At the inception there were Two DIVs (22 DIV - TCO & 23 DIV - Punani) and FMA (E) under command as organic fmns of the SFHQ (E). In addition Navy, Air Force, STF, Police and CDF dep in Eastern Theatre on ground role too were placed under command for operational matters. Subsequently, Security Force Headquarters – Jaffna (SFHQ - J) and Security Force Headquarters-Wanni (SFHQ-W) in Vavuniya were raised.
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