The Defence Forces ( ga, Fórsaí Cosanta, officially styled )
[ derives its origins from the ]Irish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers ( ga, Óglaigh na hÉireann), sometimes called the Irish Volunteer Force or Irish Volunteer Army, was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists and republicans. It was ostensibly formed in respons ...
. Whilst the Irish for ''Defence Forces'' is , as Ó Cearúil (1999) points out, the Defence Forces are officially styled . is used in other contexts (e.g. is ''Defence Force Regulations'') as well as having a defined meaning in legislation. are the
armed forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
of
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. They encompass the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
,
Air Corps,
Naval Service Naval Service may refer to either:
* His Majesty's Naval Service, Britain's Royal Navy plus additional services
* Naval Service (Ireland), a branch of the Irish Defence Forces
* United States Department of the Navy, United States military department ...
, and
Reserve Defence Forces
The Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) ( ga, Na hÓglaigh Cúltaca) are the combined Military reserve force, reserve components of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces. The RDF is organised into the First Line Reserve (FLR) and an active S ...
.
The Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces is the
President of Ireland
The president of Ireland ( ga, Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of Republic of Ireland, Ireland and the supreme commander of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces.
The president holds office for seven years, and can ...
. All Defence Forces officers hold their
commission from the President, but in practice the
Minister for Defence
{{unsourced, date=February 2021
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
acts on the President's behalf and reports to the
Government of Ireland
The Government of Ireland ( ga, Rialtas na hÉireann) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.
The Constitution of Ireland vests executive authority in a government which is headed by the , the head of government. The governm ...
. The Minister for Defence is advised by the Council of Defence on the business of the
Department of Defence Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to:
Current departments of defence
* Department of Defence (Australia)
* Department of National Defence (Canada)
* Department of Defence (Ireland)
* Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
.
As of September 2020, there were 8,529 permanent personnel in the Defence Forces, comprising 6,878 Army, 752 Air Corps and 899 Naval Service personnel.
Role
The Irish state has a long-standing policy of
non-belligerence
A non-belligerent is a person, a state, or other organization that does not fight in a given conflict. The term is often used to describe a country that does not take part militarily in a war.
A non-belligerent state differs from a neutral one in ...
in armed conflicts, including
neutrality in World War II. Ireland's military capabilities are modest. However, the state has a long history of involvement in
United Nations peacekeeping
Peacekeeping by the United Nations is a role held by the Department of Peace Operations as an "instrument developed by the organization as a way to help countries torn by conflict to create the conditions for lasting peace". It is distinguished ...
operations. Functions of the Defence Forces include:
*Preparation for the defence of the state against armed attack.
*Assisting the police force, the
Garda Síochána
(; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace"), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards", is the national police service of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Gover ...
, including the protection of the internal security of the state.
*Peacekeeping, crisis management and humanitarian relief operations in support of the United Nations.
*Policing the fisheries, in accordance with the state's obligations under
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
agreements.
*Miscellaneous civil contingency duties requested by the government such as search and rescue, air ambulance provision, providing secure air transport for ministers, assistance in the event of natural and other disasters, ensuring the maintenance of essential services, and assisting in dealing with oil pollution at sea.
History
The Defence Forces trace their origins to the
Irish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers ( ga, Óglaigh na hÉireann), sometimes called the Irish Volunteer Force or Irish Volunteer Army, was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists and republicans. It was ostensibly formed in respons ...
, founded in 1913. Their official
Irish-language
Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was th ...
title,
Óglaigh na hÉireann
(), abbreviated , is an Irish-language idiom that can be translated variously as ''soldiers of Ireland'', ''warriors of Ireland'', ''volunteers of Ireland''O'Leary, Brendan. ''Terror, insurgency, and the state: ending protracted conflicts''. U ...
, is taken from the equivalent Irish-language title of the Irish Volunteers, as are their
cap badge
A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as w ...
and the buttons worn on ceremonial uniforms (the buttons are still marked with the initials "IV").
The Irish Volunteers were central to the
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirí Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the a ...
staged in April 1916. After the rising, the Volunteers gave allegiance to the
First Dáil
The First Dáil ( ga, An Chéad Dáil) was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 1919 to 1921. It was the first meeting of the unicameral parliament of the revolutionary Irish Republic. In the December 1918 election to the Parliament of the Unite ...
, the parliament of the
revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either participates in, or advocates a revolution. The term ''revolutionary'' can also be used as an adjective, to refer to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.
...
Irish Republic
The Irish Republic ( ga, Poblacht na hÉireann or ) was an unrecognised revolutionary state that declared its independence from the United Kingdom in January 1919. The Republic claimed jurisdiction over the whole island of Ireland, but by ...
. At this time the Volunteers became known as the
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various paramilitary organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dedicated to irredentism through Irish republicanism, the belief tha ...
(IRA). From 1919 onwards, the IRA waged a
guerrilla campaign against
British rule in Ireland
British rule in Ireland spanned several centuries and involved British control of parts, or entirety, of the island of Ireland. British involvement in Ireland began with the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169. Most of Ireland gained indepen ...
that is now known as the
War of Independence
This is a list of wars of independence (also called liberation wars). These wars may or may not have been successful in achieving a goal of independence.
List
See also
* Lists of active separatist movements
* List of civil wars
* List of o ...
.
A
truce in July 1921
The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...
brought hostilities to an end; the
Anglo-Irish Treaty
The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty ( ga , An Conradh Angla-Éireannach), commonly known in Ireland as The Treaty and officially the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was an agreement between the government of the ...
was signed on 6 December. The
Provisional Government
A provisional government, also called an interim government, an emergency government, or a transitional government, is an emergency governmental authority set up to manage a political transition generally in the cases of a newly formed state or f ...
was then constituted on 14 January 1922. The IRA divided between those who accepted the decision of the Dáil in ratifying the Treaty and those who did not: consequently, both
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
and re-occupation by the British became possible.
In February 1922, the pro-treaty IRA became the
National Army of the Irish Free State.
With declining relations between the remaining units of the
anti-treaty IRA
The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty ( ga , An Conradh Angla-Éireannach), commonly known in Ireland as The Treaty and officially the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was an agreement between the government of the ...
and the newly recruited pro-treaty National Army, the
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War ( ga, Cogadh Cathartha na hÉireann; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United ...
broke out on 28 June 1922. It ended in victory for the National Army when, on 24 May 1923, the anti-treaty
IRA Chief of Staff
Several people are reported to have served as Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army () in the organisations bearing that name. Due to the clandestine nature of these organisations, this list is not definitive.
Chiefs of Staff of the Irish ...
,
Frank Aiken
Francis Thomas Aiken (13 February 1898 – 18 May 1983) was an Irish revolutionary and politician. He was chief of staff of the Anti-Treaty IRA at the end of the Irish Civil War. Aiken later served as Tánaiste from 1965 to 1969 and Minister fo ...
ordered his volunteers to dump arms.
On 3 August 1923 the new state passed the "Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act", raising "''an armed force to be called Oglaigh na hEireann (hereinafter referred to as the Forces) consisting of such number of
officers
An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...
,
non-commissioned officers
A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...
, and men as may from time to time be provided by the
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas (, ), sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the Bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:
*The President of Ireland
*The bicameralism, two houses of the Oireachtas ...
the new parliament of the Irish Free State.''"
The Forces were established on 1 October 1924.
The state was officially neutral during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
but declared an
official state of emergency on 2 September 1939 and the Army was mobilised. As the Emergency progressed, more and newer equipment was purchased for the rapidly expanding force from Britain and the United States as well as some manufactured at home. For the duration of the Emergency, Ireland, while formally neutral, tacitly supported the
Allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
in several ways.
[Fanning, R., 1983, Independent Ireland, Dublin: Helicon, Ltd.., pp 124–25] Allied aircraft were allowed to access the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
via the
Donegal Corridor
The Donegal Corridor () was a narrow strip of Irish airspace linking Lough Erne to the international waters of the Atlantic Ocean through which the Irish Government permitted flights by British military aircraft during World War II. This was ...
. German military personnel were interned in the
Curragh
The Curragh ( ; ga, An Currach ) is a flat open plain of almost of common land in County Kildare. This area is well known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the ...
along with the belligerent powers' servicemen, whereas Allied airmen and sailors who crashed in Ireland were very often repatriated, usually by secretly moving them across the border to
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
.
G2, the Army's intelligence section, played a vital role in the detection and arrest of German spies, such as
Hermann Görtz
Hermann Görtz (also anglicised as Goertz; 15 November 1890 in Lübeck – 23 May 1947 in Dublin) was a German spy in Britain and Ireland before and during World War II, liaising with the Irish Republican Army (IRA). After the war, he committ ...
.
In September 1946, the Naval Service was established as Ireland's maritime force and as a permanent component of the Defence Forces.
Ireland became a member of the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
in 1955. The first contribution to peacekeeping was in 1958 when Army officers were assigned to the
United Nations Observation Group in Lebanon
The United Nations Observation Group in Lebanon (UNOGIL) was established by United Nations through Security Council Resolution 128 on 11 June 1958 in response to the 1958 Lebanon crisis. The group was deployed between June and December 1958 in a ...
(UNOGIL). Since 1958 the Defence Forces have had a continuous presence on armed
United Nations peacekeeping
Peacekeeping by the United Nations is a role held by the Department of Peace Operations as an "instrument developed by the organization as a way to help countries torn by conflict to create the conditions for lasting peace". It is distinguished ...
operations, except between May 1974 to May 1978 (although they did retain overseas unarmed observer missions during this period). The first armed peacekeeping mission was to the
Operation des Nations Unies au Congo (ONUC) in 1960. During the ONUC mission, a company from the Irish Army were involved in a
battle at Jadotville, in which the Irish held-out against a larger Katangese force. A memorial to Irish personnel who served as United Nations peacekeepers was unveiled in 2009 in the town of
Fermoy
Fermoy () is a town on the River Blackwater in east County Cork, Ireland. As of the 2016 census, the town and environs had a population of approximately 6,500 people. It is located in the barony of Condons and Clangibbon, and is in the Dái ...
, recording that there was a total of ninety Irish fatalities while on active service with the UN until that date.
During
the Troubles
The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "i ...
, the period of civil conflict centred on
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
from 1969 to 1998, the Defence Forces deployed to aid the Garda Síochána. Troops were deployed for duty to
the border areas, new border military posts were established, and in 1973 new permanent border units were established. In 1974, troops were deployed to maximum-security prisons in
Portlaoise
Portlaoise ( ), or Port Laoise (), is the county town of County Laois, Ireland. It is located in the Midland Region, Ireland, South Midlands in the province of Leinster. The 2016 census shows that the town's population increased by 9.5% to 22,050 ...
and
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
where IRA prisoners were detained. Armed troops were deployed in 1976 to all major post offices during a three-month national bank strike. In 1978,
cash-in-transit
Cash-in-transit (CIT) or cash/valuables-in-transit (CVIT) is the physical transfer of banknotes, coins, credit cards and items of value from one location to another. The locations include cash centers and bank branches, ATM points, large retaile ...
escorts were established to protect large cash movements throughout the state, continuing until 2014. Tasks in
military aid to the civil power
Aid to the Civil Power (ACP) or Military Aid to the Civil Power (MACP) is the use of the armed forces in support of the civil authorities of a state. Different countries have varying policies regarding the relationship between their military and c ...
continue today, but no longer to the same degree or intensity.
Organisation
The Defence Forces are organised under the
Chief of Staff
The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...
, supported by Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, and the Deputy Chief of Staff Support. They consist of a Permanent Defence Force (PDF), which is a
standing
Standing, also referred to as orthostasis, is a position in which the body is held in an ''erect'' ("orthostatic") position and supported only by the feet. Although seemingly static, the body rocks slightly back and forth from the ankle in the s ...
force and provides the main capability for military operations, and the
Reserve Defence Forces
The Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) ( ga, Na hÓglaigh Cúltaca) are the combined Military reserve force, reserve components of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces. The RDF is organised into the First Line Reserve (FLR) and an active S ...
(RDF),
military reserve forces
A military reserve force is a military organization whose members have military and civilian occupations. They are not normally kept under arms, and their main role is to be available when their military requires additional manpower. Reserve f ...
which support the PDF if necessary. The PDF is organised into three service branches: the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
, the
Naval Service Naval Service may refer to either:
* His Majesty's Naval Service, Britain's Royal Navy plus additional services
* Naval Service (Ireland), a branch of the Irish Defence Forces
* United States Department of the Navy, United States military department ...
, and the
Air Corps. The RDF may be further subdivided into a First Line Reserve (FLR) and a Second Line Reserve; the First Line Reserve comprises former members of the Permanent Defence Force, while the Second Line Reserve comprises an
Army Reserve
A military reserve force is a military organization whose members have military and civilian occupations. They are not normally kept under arms, and their main role is to be available when their military requires additional manpower. Reserve ...
and a
Naval Service Reserve
, image= Naval Service Reserve crest.png
, image_size = 200
, caption=Crest of the Naval Service Reserve
, dates= 1 October 2005–present
, country=
, allegiance=
, branch= Naval Service
, type= Naval Reserve
, role=
, size= 115 active personn ...
(both recruited directly from the civilian population). A reorganization of the RDF in 2013, referred to as the "single force concept", has resulted in units of the RDF being embedded within units of the PDF, rather than existing entirely in parallel as a separate reserve force; this moves away from the traditional approach of the RDF being considered a fourth service branch of the Defence Forces.
In January 2022, the Commission on the Defence Forces recommended the establishment of an 'Information Command', under the command of a general, to handle cyberattacks and misinformation.
Army
![Best 15 (11419866795)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Best_15_%2811419866795%29.jpg)
As of mid-2016, the Army had approximately 7,300 active personnel,
with 1,663 personnel in the
Army Reserve
A military reserve force is a military organization whose members have military and civilian occupations. They are not normally kept under arms, and their main role is to be available when their military requires additional manpower. Reserve ...
.
Up to late 2012 the army had three
brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.
Br ...
s: 1 Southern, 2 Eastern and 4 Western; in 2012, 4 Western Brigade stood down at its HQ Custume Barracks, Athlone. The state is now divided into two Brigade areas for administrative and operational reasons, with the former 4 Western Brigade split between the other two brigades. In addition to the brigade structure, there is also the Defence Forces Training Centre, a logistics base in the
Curragh
The Curragh ( ; ga, An Currach ) is a flat open plain of almost of common land in County Kildare. This area is well known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the ...
.
The two-brigade structure envisages distinct operational areas of responsibility for each of the brigades. The
1st Brigade has primary responsibility for operational tasks in the southern region, while the
2nd Brigade leads on operational tasks in the eastern and western regions. Practical operational considerations dictate the requirement to outline operational areas of responsibility. The brigade structure is based on strengthened
combat
Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...
and
combat-support elements, together with streamlined
combat-service-support elements.
The Army has nine specialist
corps
Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was first named as such in 1805. The size of a corps varies great ...
, each designated as either combat, combat support or combat service support. These are the
Infantry Corps,
Artillery Corps
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications dur ...
,
Cavalry Corps,
Engineer Corps,
Ordnance Corps,
Medical Corps
A medical corps is generally a military branch or officer corps responsible for medical care for serving military personnel. Such officers are typically military physicians.
List of medical corps
The following organizations are examples of medica ...
,
Transport Corps,
Military Police Corps, and the
Communications and Information Services Corps. In the case of corps which support the
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
, a Corps Director and staff are provided to coordinate the purchase of specialised equipment, the execution of specialised training, and other necessary activities.
Irish infantry are equipped with
assault rifles,
machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...
s,
grenade launcher
A grenade launcher is a weapon that fires a specially-designed large-caliber projectile, often with an explosive, smoke or gas warhead. Today, the term generally refers to a class of dedicated firearms firing unitary grenade cartridges. The mos ...
s,
hand grenade
A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade genera ...
s, and
anti-tank weapon
Anti-tank warfare originated from the need to develop technology and tactics to destroy tanks during World War I. Since the Triple Entente deployed the first tanks in 1916, the German Empire developed the first anti-tank weapons. The first devel ...
s. Most weapons used by their defence forces follow
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
standards and are purchased from abroad, with Ireland having a very limited arms industry. The Army has light armoured vehicles, with the primary vehicle being the
MOWAG Piranha, armed with machine guns. The Army also use the
FV101 Scorpion
The FV101 Scorpion is a British armoured reconnaissance vehicle, and also a light tank. It was the lead vehicle and the fire support type in the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), CVR(T), family of seven armoured vehicles. Manufactured by ...
armoured reconnaissance vehicle, equipped with a 76mm low-velocity gun and a 7.62mm machine gun. Its
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
capabilities consist of 120mm mortars and 105mm light guns.
The
Army Ranger Wing
, image =
, caption = Shoulder flash and insignia of the Army Ranger Wing
, dates = – present
, country =
, branch =
, command_structure = Defence Forces
, garrison = DFTC, Curragh Camp, County Kildare
, size = Classified
, ty ...
(ARW) are the
special forces
Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
of Ireland. They are based at the Curragh.
Air Corps
![Irish Air Corps AgustaWestland AW-139 Lofting](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Irish_Air_Corps_AgustaWestland_AW-139_Lofting.jpg)
The Air Corps is the air component of the Defence Forces. Its HQ is at
Casement (Baldonnel) Aerodrome. The Air Corps is the smallest of the branches of the Defence Forces, with approximately 939 personnel, and its primary roles are defined as:
#Support of the Army
#Support of the Naval Service
#
Aid to the civil power
There are two secondary roles:
#
Aid to the civil community
#Aid to government departments
The Air Corps is tasked with the traditional air-force role of defending Irish airspace; however, its practical capability to do so is severely limited and it has no aerial
fighter or
bomber
A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped ...
capability at present. The Air Corps provide support to the Army and Naval Service, together with non-military air services such as the
Emergency Aeromedical (air ambulance) Service, VIP transport, and
search and rescue
Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
(in support of
Coast Guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...
search and rescue efforts). The Air Corps' helicopters are the only helicopters within the state capable of flying at night in mountain terrain using
night-vision
Night vision is the ability to see in low-light conditions, either naturally with scotopic vision or through a night-vision device. Night vision requires both sufficient spectral range and sufficient intensity range. Humans have poor night v ...
technology.
The Air Corps' two
CASA CN-235
The CASA/IPTN CN-235 is a medium-range twin-engined transport aircraft that was jointly developed by CASA of Spain and Indonesian manufacturer IPTN. It is operated as both a regional airliner and military transport; its primary military roles ...
maritime patrol aircraft are equipped with detection systems and assist the Naval Service in patrolling Ireland's territorial waters and
exclusive economic zone. These aircraft are also used for
high-altitude, low-opening parachuting by the Army's ARW. The corps has six
AgustaWestland AW139
The AgustaWestland AW139 is a medium-lift twin-engined helicopter developed and produced by the Anglo-Italian helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland, later wholly owned by Leonardo S.p.A. It is marketed at several different roles, including V ...
utility helicopter
A utility helicopter is a multi-purpose helicopter capable of fulfilling many different roles.
Civil
Many civilian helicopters are made for utility work such as agricultural aircraft. Many police and fire departments maintain and operate utili ...
s capable of being armed with
FN MAG
The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale (FN) by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries and it has been made under licence in several countries, inc ...
machine guns. These advanced helicopters can be flown using night-vision goggles and used in support of the ARW, Naval Service and
Garda Síochána
(; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace"), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards", is the national police service of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Gover ...
operations. Seven
Pilatus PC-9
The Pilatus PC-9 is a single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat turboprop training aircraft manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. Designed as a more powerful evolution of the Pilatus PC-7, the PC-9's first flight was made in May 1984 after ...
turboprop aircraft can be equipped with
rocket pod
A rocket launcher is a weapon that launches an unguided, rocket-propelled projectile.
History
The earliest rocket launchers documented in imperial China consisted of arrows modified by the attachment of a rocket motor to the shaft a few in ...
s and machine guns, and two
Eurocopter EC135
The Eurocopter EC135 (now Airbus Helicopters H135) is a twin-engine civil light utility helicopter produced by Airbus Helicopters (formerly known as Eurocopter). It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules (IFR) and is outfitted with ...
light utility helicopters (which can be used as sniper platforms by the ARW) are used for training pilots and for air-ambulance missions.
The Air Corps conducted over 130 maritime surveillance patrol flights in 2019, and provided medical support to the
HSE for patients by conducting over 233
Emergency Aeromedical Service
The Emergency Aeromedical Service (EAS) is a helicopter-based medical evacuation and air ambulance service based in Athlone, Ireland. Operated since 2012 by the Air Corps and National Ambulance Service under the call sign MEDEVAC 112, the servi ...
missions and 32 inter-hospital air ambulance transfers.
Naval Service
![LE ROISIN P51](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/LE_ROISIN_P51.jpg)
The Naval Service maintains a complement of about 1,144 personnel and is tasked with patrolling Irish
territorial waters
The term territorial waters is sometimes used informally to refer to any area of water over which a sovereign state has jurisdiction, including internal waters, the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone, and potenti ...
as well as the
Irish Conservation Box, a large area of sea in which fishing is restricted to preserve fish numbers. It is tasked with enforcing this
European-Union-protected area and thus serves the EU as well as Ireland.
Together with the
Air Corps and
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out of a country. Traditionally, customs ...
, it has intercepted a number of vessels carrying narcotics to and from Ireland.
The Naval Service has nine patrol vessels (1xP30, 2xP40, 2xP50, 4xP60) which are operated in support of the service's primary roles, inflatable seagoing craft, and training vessels. It maintains highly-trained armed
boarding parties that can seize a vessel if necessary. In 2019, for example, there were approximately 780 boarding operations and 12 vessels were detained .
The service's specialised diving unit is the
Naval Service Diving Section
The Naval Service Diving Section (NSDS) ( ga, Rannóg Tumadóireachta na Seirbháse Cabhlaigh) is a specialist unit of the Irish Naval Service, a branch of the Defence Forces, the military of Ireland. The Naval Service Diving Section specia ...
.
The primary role is defined as "National Security", with secondary roles which include:
# Fishery protection
# Aid to the civil power
# Drug interdiction
# Maritime safety
# Diving operations
# Pollution control
# Overseas mission support
Reserve Defence Forces
The
Reserve Defence Forces
The Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) ( ga, Na hÓglaigh Cúltaca) are the combined Military reserve force, reserve components of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces. The RDF is organised into the First Line Reserve (FLR) and an active S ...
(RDF) in its current form was established in October 2005 and comprises the
Army Reserve
A military reserve force is a military organization whose members have military and civilian occupations. They are not normally kept under arms, and their main role is to be available when their military requires additional manpower. Reserve ...
(AR) and
Naval Service Reserve
, image= Naval Service Reserve crest.png
, image_size = 200
, caption=Crest of the Naval Service Reserve
, dates= 1 October 2005–present
, country=
, allegiance=
, branch= Naval Service
, type= Naval Reserve
, role=
, size= 115 active personn ...
(NSR). The RDF is a part-time, voluntary component of the Defence Forces in peacetime, supporting the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) in its domestic roles and training alongside its professional full-time colleagues as part of the "Single Force Concept" whereby RDF units are integrated with their PDF counterparts, coming under the one command. As of mid-2018, there were 1,778 reservists, with 1,663 in the Army Reserve and 115 in the Naval Service Reserve.
Representative associations
The interests of members of the Defence Forces are represented by a number of representative associations, similar to
trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...
s (which Irish military personnel are banned from joining).
Officers
An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...
of the PDF are represented by the
Representative Association of Commissioned Officers The Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO) is a representative body for officers of the Defence Forces of Ireland. RACO was formally established in 1991 by statute under the Defence Amendment Act. Defence Forces Regulation S.6 is ...
,
Rank-and-file members of the PDF are represented by the
Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association The Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) is the representative body for enlisted personnel serving in the Defence Forces of Ireland.
The purpose of PDFORRA is to represent and pursue the interests of enlisted per ...
(PDFORRA), which is affiliated to the
Irish Conference of Professional and Service Associations
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
and to the European Organisation of Military Associations,
EUROMIL. In 2009, members of PDFORRA took part in an
Irish Congress of Trade Unions
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (often abbreviated to just Congress or ICTU), formed in 1959 by the merger of the Irish Trades Union Congress (founded in 1894) and the Congress of Irish Unions (founded in 1945), is a national trade union centr ...
protest against the government's handling of the
post-2008 Irish economic downturn
The post-2008 Irish economic downturn in the Republic of Ireland, coincided with a series of banking scandals, followed the 1990s and 2000s Celtic Tiger period of rapid real economic growth fuelled by foreign direct investment, a subsequent pr ...
, at which time the
Department of Defence Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to:
Current departments of defence
* Department of Defence (Australia)
* Department of National Defence (Canada)
* Department of Defence (Ireland)
* Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
warned that Defence Forces members could not take part in or sponsor any "public agitation", and that PDFORRA had "no express permission" for members to take part in the protests. All ranks of the RDF are represented by the
Reserve Defence Forces Representative Association
The Reserve Defence Forces Representative Association (RDFRA) ( ga, Comhlachas lonadaitheach na nÓglach Cúltaca) is the representative body for all ranks of the Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) in Ireland.
RDFRA was founded in 1992 and is responsib ...
(RDFRA).
Complaints concerning and made by serving and former members of the Defence Forces can be investigated by the independent
Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (ODF), in cases where internal grievance procedures within the DF have been exhausted.
Bases
![Defense](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Defense.gov_photo_essay_120831-D-VO565-008.jpg)
The Defence Forces operate a number of
military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. A military base always provides accommodations for ...
s:
See also
*
Military awards and decorations of Ireland
Though Ireland has no formal Irish honours system, honours system, there are systems of awards run by the state. Among those systems is the system of awards and medals awarded to members of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Defence Forces.
In additio ...
*
Politics of the Republic of Ireland
Ireland is a parliamentary, representative democratic republic and a member state of the European Union. While the head of state is the popularly elected President of Ireland, it is a largely ceremonial position, with real political power bei ...
*
Ireland–NATO relations
Republic of Ireland, Ireland and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have had a formal relationship since 1999, when Ireland joined as a member of the NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) program and signed up to NATO's Euro-Atlantic Partne ...
*
History of Ireland
The first evidence of human presence in Ireland dates to around 33,000 years ago, with further findings dating the presence of homo sapiens to around 10,500 to 7,000 BC. The receding of the ice after the Younger Dryas cold phase of the Quaterna ...
*
Irish Veterans
*
List of countries by military expenditures
This is a list of countries by military expenditure in a given year. Military expenditure figures are presented in United States dollars based on either constant or current exchange rates.
Military expenditure, total
; Stockholm International P ...
*
Irish Army deafness claims The army deafness claims were a series of personal injury claims taken from 1992 to 2002 against the Irish Department of Defence by members of the Irish Defence Forces for noise-induced hearing loss resulting from exposure to loud noise during milit ...
– a series of 17,000 personal injury claims taken by members of the Irish Defence Forces.
*
Defence Force
*
List of wars involving the Republic of Ireland
This is a list of wars involving the Republic of Ireland and its predecessor states, since the Irish War of Independence. Since the 1930s, the state has had a policy of neutrality and has only been involved in conflicts as part of United Nations p ...
Notes
References
External links
Military.ie – Official website
{{Military of Europe, state=autocollapse
Department of Defence (Ireland)
Permanent Structured Cooperation