Google has updated its satellite imagery for parts of Sri Lanka. Pictured below is one of the revelations of this update: the largest runway constructed by the LTTE terrorists. It is located near Mulativu. It is possibly the largest air strip ever build by a terrorist group. The Youtube video at the end of this post gives the ground level view.
The now dormant Lone Ranger blog has an in depth post about it. Basically this runway is long enough to accommodate large transport jets. It was built during the LTTE’s Norwegian sponsored post 9/11 re armament and consolidation ceasefire. According to the youtube video below the LTTE had heavily camouflaged aircraft hangers in the jungles around this airstrip. According to the video, the retreating LTTE tried to destroy the paved parts of the runway.
Currently the site is a SLAF base pictured in the previous SLAF Commander. The base is tasked with restoring the airstrip to a usable condition. Its future role in Sri Lanka’s civil aviation is anyone’s guess as. Recent comments by the outgoing SLAF commander isn’t anything new from the intentions declared before. I suspect that war damage as seen in the video below makes the job more complicated.
If you got insider info as to the future of this place, show if off in the comment box 🙂
Yes this sort of stuff is yesterday’s news but I’m not interested in the news. Its a “tradition” of this blog to add some sort of context to stuff seen on Google Earth. This post is just a very belated 2011 contribution. The other interesting site are the Mulativu beaches – but that’s another post.
Cerno 
Great stuff Cerno, I hope they will rebuild it and make a better transportation hub. The video reminded of the roads I travelled in last December!
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Thank you. I hope they do make it into a cost effective aviation hub that makes the Wanni an easy place to get to.
Btw, I hope you get a new blog after handing over the old one.
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