List of equipment of the Irish Army

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

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
Pistols
Heckler & Koch USP  Germany Semi-automatic pistol 9×19mm The USP entered service in 2007 as the Defence Force's standard service pistol, replacing the Browning Hi-Power.
Assault rifles
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. 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.
Rifles & Sniper rifles
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. In January 2021, the Defence Forces stated a replacement was being sought.[better source needed]
Accuracy International 92  United Kingdom Sniper rifle 7.62×51mm (.308) The AI 92 Sniper Rifle entered Irish Army service in 1992.
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.
Machine guns
FN MAG  Belgium General-purpose 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.
M2 Browning .5 Heavy Machine Gun (HMG)  United States
 Belgium
Heavy 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.
Grenades
Mecar M72 HE Grenade  Belgium Fragmentation hand grenade n/a
Grenade launchers
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.
Heckler & Koch GMG  Germany Automatic grenade launcher 40×53mm Used fitted to MOWAG APCs and Army Ranger Wing vehicles.
Anti-tank weapons
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.
Carl Gustav 84mm Anti-Armour Weapon  Sweden Anti-tank weapon 84 mm The Carl Gustav 84mm is a recoilless, breech-loaded anti-armour weapon.
Javelin Anti-tank guided weapon  United States Anti-tank weapon 127mm The Javelin is a fire-and-forget anti-armour weapon system and entered service in 2003.
Mortars
Denel Vektor M1 60mm Mortar  South Africa Mortar 60mm 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.
Hotchkiss Brandt 81mm Mortar  France Mortar 81mm The 81mm Mortar uses the C2 AI Sight Unit and a Morfire Fire Control Computer. (In total 84 mortars in active service)
RUAG M87 120mm Mortar  Switzerland Mortar 120mm Used by Artillery Regiments heavy mortar batteries. (In total 24 mortars in active service)
Autocannons
Mk44 Bushmaster II  United States Autocannon 30×173mm Fitted to Cavalry Mowag Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle's (MRV).
Artillery
Ordnance QF 25-pounder  United Kingdom Field gun 87.6mm 48 ex-British Mark IIIs acquired in 1949. Withdrawn from the Army in 1981 and from the Reserve in 2009. Six have been retained for ceremonial gun salutes.
105mm L118 light gun  United Kingdom Howitzer 105mm Along with the L119, these are used as the primary artillery support weapon. (In total 17 guns in active service)
105mm L119 light gun  United Kingdom Howitzer 105 mm Along with the L118, these are used as the primary artillery support weapon. (In total 6 guns in active service)
Air-defence
Bofors 40 mm L/70  Sweden Anti-aircraft autocannon 40mm Paired with eight Flycatcher (KL/MSS-6720). (In total 24 guns in active service)
RBS-70 Missile system  Sweden Man-portable air-defense system 106mm A number of launchers and a simulator were acquired in 1981. Upgraded in 2006 and "more than a dozen" upgraded in 2014 for €4.4 million to include deliveries of improved firing units, new simulators, night vision equipment and associated weapons support. (In Total 6 launchers in active service)
Army Ranger Wing (special forces)
SIG Sauer P226  Switzerland  West Germany Semi-automatic pistol 9×19mm
Heckler & Koch MP5  West Germany Submachine gun 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 Light machine gun 5.56×45mm
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 vehicles
Mowag Piranha IIIH  Switzerland Armoured personnel carrier
Armoured reconnaissance vehicle
80 * 45 armoured personnel carriers 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 armed with the 12.7mm machine gun or a 40mm automatic grenade launcher in a Kongsberg Protector (RWS)
* 6 medium reconnaissance vehicles armed with Mk44 Bushmaster II 30mm autocannon
(9 armoured personnel carriers were converted to close reconnaissance vehicles in 2014–2015)
RG-32M Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV)  South Africa Light tactical armoured vehicle 27 Armed with pintle-mounted 7.62mm machine gun or Kongsberg Protector RWS with the 12.7mm machine gun or 40mm automatic grenade launcher.
Special operations forces
ACMAT VLRA  France Long range special reconnaissance 3 Used by Army Ranger Wing (ARW) as a 'mothership' to resupply Ford F-350 SRV.
Mowag Eagle  Switzerland Light armoured vehicle Used by Army Ranger Wing soldiers conducting a field human intelligence role for MINUSMA as part of a German task force.
Ford F350 SRV  United States Special reconnaissance vehicle 12 Used by Army Ranger Wing as a special reconnaissance vehicle for long-range reconnaissance patrols. Left hand drive.
General service vehicles
Toyota Landcruiser  Japan Off-road vehicle 280 ordered for delivery 2019-2023. Replacing older vehicles.
Toyota Landcruiser /Centigon Fortress 200 Intervention  Japan Off-road vehicle Armoured Utility Vehicle. 24 ordered in 2018. 28 in 2020
Nissan Patrol  Japan Off-road vehicle The Defence Forces maintains a small fleet of 'discreet' armoured SUVs for high-risk and IED-threat missions.
Mitsubishi Pajero  Japan Off-road vehicle 32 Mitsubishi Pajero vehicles are fitted for radio (FFR) - VHF.
Isuzu D-Max  Japan Off-road vehicle
Land Rover Defender  United Kingdom Off-road vehicle Field ambulances and funeral gun carriage tractor.
Ford Ranger  United States Off-road vehicle. Left hand drive.
Honda NC750X  Japan Motorcycle 48 Contract awarded in 2019. Ceremonial escort
Troop carrying vehicle
Iveco EuroCargo 4x4  Italy Troop carrying vehicle
Mercedes-Benz 1117 4x4  Germany Troop carrying vehicle 60
Scania P 370B 4x4  Sweden Troop Carrying Vehicle 120 ordered for delivery 2020-2023. Replacing older 4x4 troop carriers
Scania R 420 6x6  Sweden Troop carrying vehicle 36 ordered in 2006.
Scania R 420 8x4  Sweden Miscellaneous 2 Delivered 2006. One in naval service
EOD Duro II 6x6  Switzerland Tactical military lorry (truck) 6 Delivered 2003
Leyland DAF T244 4x4  United Kingdom Artillery gun tractor and troop carrying vehicle 55
Ford Transit Minibus  United States Minibus
Logistics
Iveco Astra M320.42 W BAD 8x8 DROPS  Italy DROPS truck One fitted with an EKALIFT 2500 recovery body.
Scania P124CB 8x8 DROPS  Sweden DROPS truck Tender for 20 new DROPS vehicles issued in 2021.
Air defence/radar
Flycatcher (KL/MSS-6720)  Netherlands Air defence radar 8 Each Flycatcher radar system controls 3 Bofors 40 mm guns.
Bandvagn 206  Sweden Air defence support role 3 Fitted with Saab GIRAFFE Mk IV radars for search & track for RBS 70 MANPADS missile system.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal
DOK-ING MV-4  Croatia Remote mine flail 2 Tracked remote control mini flail
MAN HX60  Germany Armoured EOD trucks 3 or more Initially Delivered 2011. Two additional ordered 2016.
Mowag Duro III  Switzerland Explosive ordnance disposal vehicle Armoured and unarmoured variants
Aardvark MK4  United Kingdom Mine flail
Unmanned aerial vehicles
Aeronautics Orbiter UAV  Israel Miniature UAV 14 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
Trainer / Light Attack
Pilatus PC-9 Switzerland Trainer / CAS PC-9M 8 Can be armed with machine guns or rocket pods.
Transport
Learjet 45 United States VIP / Air ambulance 1
Maritime patrol
CASA CN-235 Spain Maritime Patrol MPA 100 2 To be replaced by two CN-295 MPA in 2023
CASA C-295 Spain Maritime Patrol MPA 2
Surveillance
Pilatus PC-12 Switzerland ISTAR / Utility PC-12NG 4
Britten-Norman Defender United Kingdom Police Air Support 4000 1 Flown for the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU)
Helicopters
Eurocopter EC135 France Utility / Training P2+/T2 2 / 2 Of which the T2s are flown for the GASU
AgustaWestland AW139 Italy Utility 6

Gallery

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-02-04 19:43 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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