The Sri Lankan security forces could not avert the LTTE attack on Anuradhapura air base in spite of the Indian installed radar system providing timely warning about the light rebel aircraft hovering over the area, officials said. The attack had claimed over 30 lives earlier this week.

Defence Ministry officials said that the LTTE's light aircraft was spotted by the radar system, installed by India, in Vavuniya in the island's embattled north. However, in the prevailing confusion, no aircraft was able to intercept the two LTTE planes which managed to drop bombs on the Air Force base.

When asked whether the Indian installed radar spotted the LTTE aircraft on time to enable the security forces to be on alert, Air Force Commander Roshan Goonatilleke told reporters that 'it  worked well'.

The deadly attack on Monday on the air base led to the death of 20 LTTE cadres and 13 security force personnel.

"Our attack capability has not been reduced in any way (due to the attack), but we are hoping to replace the aircraft we lost in double quick time," Goonetileke said. The Defence Ministry said the commando-style suicide attack on the key Air Force base destroyed eight air craft worth US$15 million.

Goonatilleke said that the aircraft were damaged due to the rebel ground attack and not by the aerial attack. It would take about four months to replace the lost aircraft.

In their first ever coordinated land and air strike, the Tigers used their light wing aircraft to bomb the base while their militants infiltrated the airbase.

The Air Force has already initiated two top-level investigations into the base attack. Goonatilleke also told reporters on Friday that the work on Sri Lanka's [Images] new air