Irish Defence Forces are the military forces of the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Defence Forces include three active forces: (1) the Army, (2) the Air Corps, and (3) the Naval Service. These forces operate under the supreme command of the president of Ireland. There are about 9,600 permanent members in the Irish armed services, mostly in the Army. The Reserve Defence Force has about 6,100 members in service. Members join the Irish Defence Forces on a voluntary basis. All three active forces and the reserves accept women.
The Irish Army is divided into three brigades. Each brigade has a specific territory as its responsibility. Within each brigade are infantry, calvary (mechanized troops), artillery, engineers, communications units and supply units.
The Army also maintains a specialized unit called the Sciathan Fianoglach an Airm (Army Ranger Wing). The Rangers conduct offensive operations behind enemy lines, including raids on enemy troops and intelligence maneuvers. They also carry out such defensive operations as patrolling, search-and-rescue operations, antiterrorist programs, and hostage rescue.
The Air Corps supports the other branches of the Irish Defence Forces. The corps provides policing and search-and-rescue missions in and around Ireland. Government ministers use Air Corps airplanes and staff for their transportation needs.
The Naval Service patrols and protects the Irish waters and ports. Naval forces guard against illegal fishing, smuggling, and intentional pollution. They provide support for search-and-rescue and diving missions. They help in natural disasters or national emergencies.
Weapons and equipment of the Irish Defence Forces.
The Naval Service has eight ships. Five of those ships can sail worldwide. But for the most part, the Irish fleet protects coastal waters.
The Air Corps’s equipment includes 25 aircraft. Among those are seven helicopters and two executive aircraft for flying high-ranking officials. Other fixed-wing aircraft are used to patrol Irish fishing waters and other missions to support the Army.
The Irish Army is equipped with artillery. The Army also has a variety of armored and mechanized vehicles.
History.
The Irish government created the Army Corps and the Air Corps in the 1920’s, after the Irish Free State was founded. In 1923, the government established the Coastal and Marine Service to police fisheries and control imports, but the service was disbanded the next year.
The Republic of Ireland remained neutral during World War II (1939-1945), but its armed services protected Irish land, sea, and airspace from attacks. In 1939, the government established the Marine and Coastwatching Service to patrol the Irish coast. The service laid protective mines near Cork and Waterford, regulated merchant shipping, and protected the fishery. The Air Corps guarded the land from enemy aircraft that strayed into Irish territory. More than 200 Allied and German aircraft crashed or were forced down in Ireland during the war. The Army provided defense at the borders, guarding against invasions.
After the war, the Irish government began to disarm and demobilize (remove from military service) large numbers of the armed services. The Coastwatching Service was disbanded, and the Marine Service joined the Irish Defence Forces in 1946, forming the Irish Naval Service.
Ireland joined the United Nations (UN) in 1955, and the Irish Army began to take part in peacekeeping operations in many parts of the world. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, the Irish Army’s largest contribution of peacekeepers was to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. In the 1990’s and 2000’s, Ireland supported various UN peacekeeping forces, including those in Lebanon, Somalia, the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo, Chad, and East Timor. The Irish Army also sent troops to Afghanistan.
