Modern equipment of the Irish Army

This is a partial list of the modern equipment of the Irish Army, the land component of the Irish Defence Forces.

Irish Army

Components
Irish Army
Army Reserve
Equipment
Equipment and vehicles
Uniform and dress
Personnel
Rank Insignia

Weapons

While the Army Ranger Wing has access to a wider variety of specialist weapons, the modern weapons in use within the Irish Army includes the following:

Name Origin Type Caliber Photo Notes
Assault rifle
Steyr AUG  Austria Assault Rifle 5.56×45mm The Steyr AUG is the Defence Force's standard service rifle. It entered service in 1989 and is in use with all units of the Defence Forces.[1] Operational units are issued an enhanced rifle fitted with an ACOG 4x32 optical sight starting to enter service in late 2014, known as the Model 14 or MOD 14.
Pistol
Heckler & Koch USP  Germany Semi-automatic Pistol 9×19mm The USP entered service in 2007 as the Defence Force's standard service pistol.[2]
Sniper rifle
Accuracy International 92  United Kingdom Sniper rifle 7.62×51mm (.308) The AI 92 Sniper Rifle entered Irish Army service in 1992.[1]
Accuracy International AWM  United Kingdom Sniper rifle 8.6×70mm (.338) The AWM entered service in 2011. The Irish Army version is chambered for the .338 Lapua Magnum round.[3]
FN FAL  Belgium Battle rifle 7.62×51mm The FN FAL was previously the standard service rifle for the Defence Forces. Older FAL rifles were upgraded with an adjustable butt stock, Picatinny-style rail hand guard, a bipod, and a Schmidt & Bender sight for use as sniper support weapons.[3]
Machine gun
FN MAG  Belgium Machine gun 7.62×51mm The FN MAG entered service in 1964 with the Defence Forces and is in use with all service branches and a number of Army Corps. It is deployed both with bipod or in a sustained fire (SF) role mounted on a tripod by the Infantry. Both the Infantry and Cavalry use the MAG mounted on its armoured vehicles and the Infantry and Artillery use it in the air defense role.[1]
M2 Browning .5 Heavy Machine Gun (HMG)  United States/ Belgium Machine gun 12.7×99mm (.50) The M2 Heavy Machine Gun entered service in the 1970s. It is in use with all service branches and a number of Army Corps. The Infantry use it in the sustained fire role, air defense role and mounted on its MOWAG APCs. The Artillery use it in the air defense role and the Cavalry use it mounted on its armoured vehicles.[1]
Grenade
Mecar M72 HE Grenade  Belgium Fragmentation hand grenade n/a
Grenade launcher
Diemaco M203 grenade launcher  Canada Grenade launcher 40×46mm The M203 is in use with the Defence Forces. It is mounted to the Steyr AUG rifle and employs its own separate sighting and trigger mechanism.[1]
Heckler & Koch GMG  Germany Grenade launcher 40×53mm Used by the Cavalry and Army Ranger Wing mounted on vehicles.
Anti-tank weapon
AT4 Short Range Anti-Armour Weapon (SRAAW)  Sweden Anti-tank Weapon 84 mm The AT4 entered service in 1997. The SRAAW is a recoilless, preloaded disposable weapon.[1]
Carl Gustav 84mm Anti-Armour Weapon  Sweden Anti-tank Weapon 84 mm The Carl Gustav 84mm is a recoilless, breech-loaded anti-armour weapon.[1]
Javelin Anti-tank guided weapon  United States Anti-tank Weapon 127 mm The Javelin is a fire-and-forget anti-armour weapon system and entered service in 2003.[4]
Mortar
Denel Vektor M1 60mm Mortar  South Africa Mortar 60 mm The Vektor 60mm Mortar entered service in 2003 with the Infantry. The 60mm mortar can also be fired in a commando role by removing the bipod and baseplate and fitting a special small baseplate and attaching sighting unit/handgrip.[1]
Hotchkiss Brandt 81mm Mortar  France Mortar 81 mm The 81mm Mortar uses the C2 AI Sight Unit and a Morfire Fire Control Computer.[1]
Ruag M87 120mm Mortar   Switzerland Mortar 120 mm Used by Artillery Regiments heavy mortar batteries.
Autocannon
Mk44 Bushmaster II  United States Autocannon 30×173mm Fitted to Cavalry Mowag Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle's (MRV).
Artillery
105mm L118 light gun  United Kingdom Howitzer 105 mm Along with the L119, these are used as the primary artillery support weapon (total of 24 guns of the two variants)
105mm L119 light gun  United Kingdom Howitzer 105 mm Along with the L118, these are used as the primary artillery support weapon (total of 24 guns of the two variants)
Ordnance QF 25-pounder  United Kingdom Field gun 87.6 mm Only used for ceremonial gun salutes.
Air-defence
RBS-70 Missile system  Sweden Man-portable air-defense systems 106 mm A number of launchers and a simulator were acquired in 1981. Upgraded in 2006 and "dozens" upgraded in 2014 for €4.4 million to include deliveries of improved firing units, new simulators, night vision equipment and associated weapons support.[5]
Bofors EL-70[6]  Sweden Air defence gun. 40 mm Bofors air defence gun.[5] A number were acquired in the late 1950s, with several dozen purchased in 2002.
Army Ranger Wing (special forces)
SIG Sauer P226   Switzerland Semi-automatic Pistol 9×19mm
Benelli M4  Italy Semi-automatic Shotgun 12 gauge
Steyr AUG A2  Austria Assault Rifle 5.56×45mm
Steyr AUG A3  Austria Assault Rifle 5.56×45mm
Heckler & Koch HK416  Germany Assault Rifle 5.56×45mm
FN Minimi Para  Belgium Machine gun 5.56×45mm
Heckler & Koch MP5  Germany Submachine Gun 9×19mm
Heckler & Koch HK417  Germany Sniper rifle 7.62×51mm
Accuracy International AW50  United Kingdom Anti-materiel rifle 12.7×99mm (.50)

Vehicles

This is a partial list of the modern vehicles in use within the Irish Army.

Name Origin Type Number Image Notes
Armoured fighting vehicle
Mowag Piranha IIIH[7]   Switzerland Armoured Personnel Carrier
Armoured reconnaissance vehicle		 80[8][9] * 45 APC's armed with 12.7mm machine gun & co-ax 7.62mm machine gun
* 8 Command Vehicles armed with 12.7mm machine gun & co-ax 7.62mm machine gun
* 2 Ambulances
* 1 Recovery Vehicle
* 18 Close Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRV) armed with the 12.7mm machine gun or a 40mm grenade launcher in a Kongsberg Protector (RWS)
* 6 Medium Reconnaissance Vehicles (MRV) armed with Mk44 Bushmaster II 30mm autocannon
(9 APC's were converted to CRV's in 2014–2015)[10]
RG-32M Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV)[11][12]  South Africa Light Tactical Armoured Vehicle (LTAV) 27[11] Armed with pintle-mounted 7.62mm machine gun or Kongsberg Protector RWS with the 12.7mm machine gun or 40mm grenade machine gun.
Special operations forces
Ford F350 SRV  United States Special reconnaissance vehicle (SRV) 12[13] Used by Army Ranger Wing as a special reconnaissance vehicle for Long-range reconnaissance patrols (LRRP). Left hand drive.
ACMAT VLRA  France Long range special reconnaissance 3[13] Used by ARW as a 'mothership' to resupply Ford F-350 SRV.
General service vehicle
Mitsubishi Pajero  Japan Off-road vehicle 32 Mitsubishi Pajero vehicles are fitted for radio (FFR) - VHF.[14]
Nissan Patrol[15]  Japan Off-road vehicle The Defence Forces maintains a small fleet of 'discreet' armoured SUVs for high-risk and IED-threat missions.[16]
Ford Ranger  United States Off-road vehicle. Left hand drive.
Isuzu D-Max  Japan Off-road vehicle
Land Rover Defender  United Kingdom Off-road vehicle Field ambulances and funeral gun carriage tractor.
Troop carrying vehicle
Scania R 420 6x6[17]  Sweden Troop carrying vehicle As of March 2017, there were more than 100 Scania trucks (of various types) in service with the Irish armed forces.[18]
Scania R 420 8x4[19]  Sweden Miscellaneous 2
Iveco EuroCargo 4x4[20][21]  Italy Troop carrying vehicle
EOD Duro II   Switzerland Tactical military lorry (truck)
Mercedes-Benz 1117 4x4[21]  Germany Troop carrying vehicle 60
Leyland DAF T244 4x4  United Kingdom Artillery gun tractor and Troop carrying vehicle 55
Ford Transit Minibus  United States Minibus
Logistics
Scania P124CB 8x8 DROPS[22]  Sweden DROPS truck
Iveco Astra M320.42 W BAD 8x8 DROPS  Italy DROPS truck One fitted with an EKALIFT 2500 recovery body.
Air defence/radar
Bandvagn 206  Sweden Air defence support role 7 Fitted with Saab GIRAFFE Mk IV radars for search & track for RBS 70 MANPADS missile system.
Flycatcher (KL/MSS-6720)  Netherlands Air defence radar 8 Each Flycatcher radar system controls 3 Bofors 40 mm guns.[23]
Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Aardvark MK4  United Kingdom Mine flail
DOK-ING MV-4  Croatia Remote mine flail 2 Tracked remote control mini flail
Mowag Duro III   Switzerland Explosive Ordnance Disposal vehicle Armoured and unarmoured variants
MAN HX60[10]  Germany Armoured EOD trucks
Unmanned aerial vehicle
Aeronautics Orbiter UAV  Israel Miniature UAV 14[24] Used by Artillery Corps. Two systems were acquired in 2006 each system has 3 Orbiter UAV's. Two were destroyed in crashes and one was lost and never recovered. €2m was spent on 12 new UAVs in 2016/17.

Defence Forces aircraft
Note: All Irish Aircraft are operated by the Irish Air Corps. Main article: List of aircraft of the Irish Air Corps
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Transport
Learjet 45 United States VIP / Air ambulance 1[25]
Maritime patrol
CASA CN-235 Spain Maritime patrol MPA 100 2[26] Due to be replaced by two C295 aircraft in 2023.[27][28]
Surveillance
Pilatus Britten Norman Defender United Kingdom Surveillance 4000 1[26] Flown for the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU) [29]
Pilatus PC-12 Switzerland ISTAR and utlity PC-12NG 1[30] Three more on order
Helicopters
Eurocopter EC135 France Utility, training and surveillance P2+/T2 4[26] Two P2+s are flown for the Air Corps and two T2s for the GASU[31][32]
AgustaWestland AW139 Italy Utility 6[26]
Trainer
Pilatus PC-9 Switzerland Training / Close air support PC-9M 8 Armament options are heavy machine gun and rocket pods.[33][34]
  • The remaining Panhard AML-20 armoured cars were retired in 2013
  • Honda ceremonial escort motorcycles of 2 Cavalry Squadron
  • 14 Scorpion CVR(T) tracked reconnaissance vehicles were in use from the 1980s until their retirement in 2017.[35]

See also

References
  1. "Defence Forces Website - Army - Weapons". Military.ie. Archived from the original on 2010-11-26. Retrieved 2012-11-08.
  2. Huges, Capt Brian (April 2007). "Taking Aim" (PDF). An Cosantóir. 67 (4): 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  3. "Snipers equipped with record-breaking rifle". Irish Independent. 2012-12-01.
  4. "Defence Forces Website - Army Weapons - Javelin". Military.ie. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010.
  5. Stack, Sarah (12 June 2014). "Army fires up €4.4m spend on missile upgrade". Herald.ie. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  6. Official IDF Site - Army Weapons - Bofors L70 40 mm Light Air Defence Gun Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Irish Army Vehicles – Mowag APC". Military.ie (Official site). Archived from the original on 26 November 2010.
  8. "Irish army vehicles suffering multiple faults". The Sunday Times. 20 July 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  9. "Dáil Debates - Written answers - Monday, 11 September 2017 - Department of Defence - Defence Forces Equipment". Oireachtas. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017 – via KildareStreet.com.
  10. "Annual Report 2015" (PDF). Defence Forces Ireland. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  11. Lavery, Don (14 December 2008). ""South African firm wins Irish Army vehicle contract"". Irish Independent.
  12. "2010 Estimates for Defence and Army Pensions and Annual Output Statement" (Press release). Department of Defence. 17 June 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  13. "World's toughest trucks for Rangers". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 10 July 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  14. "Annual Report 2012" (PDF). Defence Forces Ireland. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  15. "Irish Army Vehicles – General Service Vehicle". Military.ie (Official DF site). Archived from the original on 20 February 2009.
  16. Lavery, Don (15 April 2012). "Armoured 4x4s sent to protect Irish soldiers". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  17. "Scania.ie – News – Irish Defence Forces €6 million order to SCANIA". September 2006. Archived from the original on 30 November 2007.
  18. Connors, Shaun (17 March 2017). "Scania selected for multiple European programmes". IHS Jane's International Defence Review. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  19. "Scania.ie – News – Irish Defence Forces €6 million order to SCANIA". September 2006. Archived from the original on 30 November 2007.
  20. "Irish Army Iveco EuroCargo 4x4". Flickr.
  21. Karl Martin (2002). Irish Army Vehicles: Transport and Armour Since 1922. ISBN 978-0954341305.
  22. "Scania.ie – News – Irish Defence Forces Scania 8x8". August 2005. Archived from the original on 21 April 2006.
  23. "Radar guns tested at Gormanston air facility". Irish Independent. 11 July 2003. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  24. "Criticism over plan to spend €2m on Israeli-made drones". Irish Times. 28 November 2016.
  25. "Learjet 45". military.ie. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  26. "World Air Forces 2020". Flightglobal Insight. 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  27. "Irish Department of Defence orders two Airbus C295 aircraft". navyrecognition.com. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  28. "Dublin, Prague bolster Airbus C295 backlog". flightglobal.com. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  29. "Pilatus Britten Norman Defender". military.ie. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  30. "Air Corps to Take Delivery of Pilatus PC-12 Today". flyinginireland.com. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  31. "EC135 T2". military.ie. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  32. "EC135 P2". military.ie. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  33. "Fleet - Pilatus PC-9M Statistics". Military.ie (Official Defence Forces website).
  34. IrishAirPics.com - Description of live fire training exercise
  35. Mark Nash (7 June 2018). "FV101 Scorpion in Irish Service". tanks-encyclopedia.com. Tank Encyclopedia. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
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