DEFENCE FORCES ROUNDUP

KEEPING US SAFE

The Irish Defence Forces faced old and new challenges in 2020.

In what was an unprecedented year, the Irish Defence Forces continued with a large number of operations both at home and abroad, while also taking on invaluable work to keep the people of Ireland safe during the pandemic.

There was a wide range of Defence & Security Operations in 2020 that included Aid to Civil Power & Aid to the Civil Authority operations on a daily basis supporting An Garda Síochána, Local Authorities and other key agencies of the State.

These included 133 operations in support of gardaí involving explosives disposal, prisoner escorts, explosives escorts, major cash escorts and search operations, as well as the continued provision of a permanent armed guard at the maximum security Portlaoise Prison, the Central Bank, Irish Industrial Explosives and Government Buildings.

While visits from international dignitaries were necessarily curtailed due to the pandemic, a company of troops was deployed with supporting elements on a Land Security Operation during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in March.

Personnel and expertise were also supplied to support the National Cyber Security Centre, and were deployed throughout the year to assist civil authorities during multiple operations including flood defence preparations and pump maintenance in Westmeath, Clare and Limerick.

SEA

Offshore, in its protection of its 220million maritime acres of sea, the Naval Service conducted 307 fisheries boardings, resulting in 16 detentions of vessels from the UK, France, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Belgium and Denmark, for alleged infringements of fishing regulations in support of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority.

The Naval Service Dive Section (NSDS) was deployed to 19 operations, including underwater maintenance of the naval fleet, autonomous underwater vehicle operations and berth surveys/ clearances for visiting ships. It was also involved in three search and recovery operations in support of An Garda Síochána and the Irish Coast Guard, and successfully located the missing sunken vessel FV ALIZE.

There were 14 separate search and rescue responses, with the LÉ NIAMH averting a potential ecological disaster by taking under tow a stricken crude oil tanker in the vicinity of Galway Bay.

AIR

Aerial surveillance of Ireland’s waters continued to be carried out by the Air Corps, which conducted more than 140 patrol flights in 2020. It also completed almost 350 emergency aeromedical services Carrying out aerial surveillance of Ireland’s waters, the Air Corps conducted more than 140 surveillance flights in 2020.

It completed almost 350 emergency aeromedical services missions supporting the HSE and 45 inter-hospital flights, as well as responding to several request to provide aerial firefighting across five counties, dropping more than 340,000 litres of water to protect property.

While continuing to support the Garda Air Support Unit, the Air Corps also played its part in the fight against the pandemic, conducting ten COVID-19 sample transport flights to Germany in direct support of the National Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS

The Irish Defence Forces’ longest unbroken record of overseas service with the UN continued throughout 2020, with personnel deployed on UN, NATO, PfP (Partnership for Peace), EU CSDP (Common Security and Defence Policy) and OSCE Peace Support and Crisis Management operations across 14 missions in 13 countries.

At the time of writing, there are currently 581 personnel serving overseas, with the largest deployment with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), where 345 soldiers are serving. This includes an infantry battalion patrolling the demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel.

The second largest deployment is with the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights, Syria, where 138 Irish soldiers are currently serving. The infantry group provides a quick reaction force for the mission.

Irish staff officers also serve in UNDOF HW, where Brigadier General Maureen O’Brien has held the role of Deputy Force Commander since 2019.

An Army Ranger Wing is also deployed in Mali, working with the German Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance Task Force, while 20 soldiers are also deployed to deliver education and training to the Malian Armed Forces. Other deployments include missions in Bosnia, Kosovo and Congo.

Three personnel are also deployed to the operational HQ of the EU Naval Force Mediterranean Operation in Rome, tasked with the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya, as well as the disruption of human smuggling and trafficking networks.

INNOVATION

The Defence Forces won a grant of 50,000 from the OPS Innovation Fund

to purchase and install a virtual reality augmentation upgrade to the Helicopter Winching Simulator in Casement Aerodrome, due to the possible interagency opportunities it brings.

Importantly, considering the events of the year, the Defence Forces were also involved in the testing of adapted technology normally found in cruise ships to offer a new approach to management of personal contacts and social distancing measures. The wearable device produced by DIGISOFT uses Bluetooth connectivity to identify, measure and track interactions between wearers.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

With the message in mind that we train for what we can predict, and educate for what we cannot, there was in 2020 a continued focus on training and education to ensure the Irish Defence Forces develop their personnel and prepare them for complex operating environments both domestically and overseas.

Some 386 General Service Recruit inductions took place, with 20 Apprentices and three Naval Service specialists completing recruit training. Some 64 cadets were inducted to the Defence Forces and began their military training in 2020, with six of those serving members who joined from enlisted ranks. Interestingly, 47 previously retired members re-joined across all ranks and services during 2020.

As part of the third-level education scheme, 15 Army and Naval Service Officers graduated with degrees from a range of universities, with 106 Officers awarded academic qualifications through collaboration with Maynooth University on the Leadership, Management and Defence Studies programme, while a further nine Officers graduated from the National Maritime College of Ireland (NCMI).

Also, 141 non-commissioned Officers graduated from academic programmes with IT Carlow, 32 Naval Service NCOs graduated from NCMI, 24 enlisted personnel graduated through the Trainee Technician Scheme in Communications Systems and Electronic/ Mechanical Engineering.

There were also 875 Skill Courses conducted in 2020 with 10,003 student days, developing and maintaining Defence Force capabilities, while 488 personnel underwent 26 career courses to develop leadership and decisionmaking skills.

All images courtesy Óglaigh na hÉireann.

CEREMONIAL EVENTS

In what would have been a very busy year for commemorations, a large number of ceremonies and State visits were either cancelled or significantly reduced as a result of the pandemic, but the Defence Forces did participate in almost 20 significant military and State events.

These included the annual State commemoration ceremonies, such as the 104th anniversary of the Easter Rising at the GPO, the 1916 Leaders Commemoration at Arbour Hill and Áras an Uachtaráin, and the National Day of Commemoration at Collins Barracks.

The Defence Forces also took part in the National Famine Commemoration held at the Delaney Famine Monument in St Stephen’s Green, a special ceremony in April to commemorate those who lost their lives to COVID-19, and a ceremony in November to remember the eight members of the Defence Forces who passed away in 2020.

Ceremonial honours were afforded to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in March and the President of Greece in January, and for two ceremonies at Áras an Uachtaráin when six ambassadors presented their credentials.

COVID-19

The Defence Forces response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Operation Fortitude, saw the organisation play an integral role in dealing with the State’s handling of the health crisis.

It established a COVID-19 Joint Operational Planning Group and began its increased support to the HSE in March. At the same time, there was a curtailment or cancellation of certain activities such as non-essential training, all sports, all military competitions, and travel.

Support for the HSE consisted of the provision of military planning expertise, command and control structures, engineering advice and works, logistics and transport, military medical help and buildings for the establishment of the COVID-19 Testing Centre at the Aviva Stadium and elsewhere.

In all, to help fight the spread of the disease, some personnel were deployed for 53,259 individual duties, 9,442 vehicles were deployed, 197 Naval Service vessels, and ten aircraft.

Defence Forces personnel were also deployed to assist in contact tracing, the transportation of vulnerable citizens to test centres, the collection, and the storage and distribution of PPE and medical supplies.

Tents were supplied at HSE sites and pop-up locations such as meat plants, while logistics support was provided at Punchestown and City West Test Centres, contingency support was given to nursing homes, and personnel were deployed to support and man temporary body storage facilities.

Liaison continued to the end of the year with stakeholders including the HSE, NAS, Dublin and Cork Airports, Dublin, Cork and Galway Port Authorities, Irish Water, An Post and the Office of Emergency Planning.

In December as a third wave of the pandemic hit, further frontline support was provided by the Defence Forces, significantly increasing the surge capacity of the HSE, and remaining in place until this wave has been suppressed. This includes 56 military first responders daily and 60 extra personnel deployed to contact tracing.

Overall, in what was a very challenging year for all of Irish society, the dedication of the Defence Forces and the invaluable work they do means that we are in good hands as we move into 2021, when hopefully, the pandemic can finally be brought under control.