Irish Naval Service / Irish Navy

[Grey Havoc]

Irelands Defence Minister has proposed tripling the budget to 1.4% of GDP. They have invited costings on the following proposals:
Increase the size of the navy from 6 patrol ships to 12
Build Irelands first airborne early warning radar.
Found an intelligence school with 300 soldiers dedicated to cybersecurity
Renew the armoured car fleet used by the army
Acquire 8 but preferably 12-14 fighters within an operating budget of €100m per year, training would be performed abroad while aircraft maintenance and ground handling would be commercially outsourced (with a €3bn annual defence budget for everything and €100m annual budget for the squadron I don't think they would be getting first hand aircraft).

Irelands current plan was to double defence spending by 2028 and acquiring the early warning radar.

Costings sought for massive expansion of Irish military including purchase of fighter jets

Proposal to double Naval Service’s fleet and equip Army with modern armoured vehicles

www.irishtimes.com

Under the proposals, the Irish Naval Service, which will soon be renamed the Irish Navy, will operate 12 ships, double the fleet. This would give Ireland “a defensive conventional maritime warfighting capability”.

 

[Grey Havoc]

From last year:

Irish Naval Service Plans €300 Million Support Ship Buy - Naval News

The Irish Naval Service is planning to buy a €300 million multi-role vessel for operations at home and overseas.

www.navalnews.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

New motor launch for Irish inshore patrols | Fishing News

Ireland's naval service Reserve has taken delivery of the first of four new motor launches for inshore patrols.

fishingnews.co.uk

Where possible, Irish suppliers were used during the build and fit-out. The Naval Service Reserve, a part-time force involving recruits from all walks of life both in marine and onshore professions, has a current establishment force of 200.


However, there are just over 100 active recruits, who will train with the new fleet. They operate from four bases in Dublin, Cork, Waterford and Limerick, where the motor launches will be stationed.


There are plans to expand the part-time force to a minimum of 400 as part of Ireland’s Commission on Defence Forces report of 2022. The commission also recommended an additional two bases.

Article is from back in January, these plans may well be overtaken by the growing current panic however.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Hopefully they will also get around to fixing things like this as well:

Naval Service goes to sea without working guns as maritime threats mount

Personnel shortage means only one ship can patrol Ireland’s vast economic zone at a time - and even that rate may have to be reduced

www.irishtimes.com

 

[starviking]

Hopefully they will also get around to fixing things like this as well:

Naval Service goes to sea without working guns as maritime threats mount

Personnel shortage means only one ship can patrol Ireland’s vast economic zone at a time - and even that rate may have to be reduced

www.irishtimes.com

And paying enough to retain experienced staff.

 

[Grey Havoc]

And paying enough to retain experienced staff.

Indeed!

Fears exit of seasoned personnel leading to more accidents after navy vessels suffer damage

The LÉ Aoibhinn collided with a pier in Kinsale in October

www.irishexaminer.com

 

[Archdude]

And paying enough to retain experienced staff.

Agree!!!!