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Cutbacks lead to reduction in Swiss armoured vehicles Order.

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  • Cutbacks lead to reduction in Swiss armoured vehicles Order.

    Cutbacks lead to reduction in Swiss armoured vehicles Order.

    by Mark Hennessy,
    Political Reporter - The Irish Times -

    ***********************************

    Cutbacks in Government spending have forced the Department of Defence to curb plans to buy 40 more top of the range armoured personnel carriers for the Defence Forces over the next 2 years, it has emerged.

    Affected by tighter budgets the Minister for Defence MR Smith, signed a contract in early December with the Swiss company Mowag to buy just 25 of the internationally regarded Piranha 8x8s spreading the €33.2 million cost over 3 years.

    “Certainly, in the current climate, 25 are more than enough for what we need. Just because we took an option for 40 did not mean that we were ever going to buy that number” a spokesman for the minister told the Irish Times.

    The Department bought 40 of the vehicles in November 1999, along with an initial supply of spares, special tools and training courses, for €50.8 million following a stiff tender competition.

    The first Mowags, including the 34 troop carriers, four equipped to perform as mobile command points, one fitted out for vehicle recovery and one as an ambulance, have already been delivered.

    Six of the Mowags are already being used by Irish troops serving in Eritrea with the United Nations in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) following extensive training of troops in the Curragh.

    “I am advised by the military authorities that the APC’s are performing exceptionally well in the mission area” the Minister told Mr Tommy Broughan, the Labour TD.

    Deliveries of the 25 additional vehicles will begin in March 2004. “Payments under the contract will extend from December 2002 to September 2005 due to the budgetary situation” Mr Smith said.

    The decision to buy more Mowags was further evidence of his commitments to upgrade the equipment used by the Defence Forces, the Minister said. “While expenditure programmes will now have to be prioritised due to the changed financial situation, I will ensure that a substantive re-equipment programme will still go ahead to enhance the efficiency and safety of the Defence Forces.”

    “That was a very serious issue. Everything since then has been spot-on. Nobody else builds APC’s as good as Mowag.” The Department’s spokesman said.

    Meanwhile the Air Corps will shortly begin to operate a search and rescue service out of Sligo Airport using a Sikorsky S61 medium range helicopter, leased by the coast guard, in place of an ageing Dauphin helicopter.

    Training for the Air Corps pilots on the S61, which will provide search and rescue cover throughout the north-west in sing provided by CHC Ireland, which will maintain it.

    In addition, the Minister is expected to announce the purchase shortly of 8 trainer aircraft for the Air corps, following a long running tender competition.

  • #2
    As usual the minister chickened out.Didn't see any restrictions placed on the new fleet of ministerial mercedes.Did any body else?
    Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

    Comment


    • #3
      Cutbacks

      Or their office refurbishments, or their wages, or stupid spikes in O'Connell street.


      Since the country is suddenly doing so badly, wouldnt it make sense to cut the number of TD's back to say 50. and give them transport suitable to their level of competence............Is it still possible to get kiddie's tricycles??
      "We will hold out until our last bullet is spent. Could do with some whiskey"
      Radio transmission, siege of Jadotville DR Congo. September 1961.
      Illegitimi non carborundum

      Comment


      • #4
        We could send a trio of mowags around and collect all the members of the Dail for a once weekly meeting of the Dail.Hey presto ..an excuse for the Mowags and an armed escort
        Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

        Comment


        • #5
          Looking in the Excellent Book about Irish Army vehicles that I bought myself as an early crimbo pressie(cos nobody else would) all is not lost.
          AFAIK only 25 more were all that was ever considered..40 were offered but to be fair would be surplus to minimum requirements.
          As it is we have more Modern APCs than ever before in the history of the DF.
          This book tells (and it seems to be pretty reliable,having photos of the new trucks before they even have the bodies fitted),in 2003,
          the army will test a number of 4x4 Armoured LTVs to discover which type would be most suitable for deployment in support of the Piranha APC Fleet etc. The Mowag Eagle II and Panhard VB2L are just 2 of a long list of possible contenders. A cannon armed version of the 8x8 Piranha will presumably be in the running for a Panhard AML replacement in 2005
          Also Contrary to the report above,we did not get the Recovery variant of the Piranha,but instead a version fitted out as an armoured fitters workshop.
          The Recovery Piranha costs an extra €1.2!!

          The Armoured Fitters Vehicle(below x2..what we have..)





          The Armoured Recovery Vehicle(what we dont have cos they cost €2.5mil a pop!)


          Ill take my chances with the Iveco 8x8
          A FURTHER 25 MOWAG PIRANHA III 8X8 VEHICLES FOR THE IRISH ARMY
          Successful Signing of Contract at MOWAG Kreuzlingen

          A Further 25 MOWAG PIRANHA III 8x8 Vehicles for the Irish Army

          On Monday, 9th December 2002, a high ranking delegation from the Irish Ministry of Defence, under the supervision of the Minister of Defense, Michael Smith T.D., signed a contract for the delivery of 25 PIRANHA IIIH 8x8 armoured wheeled vehicles. For the Kreuzlingen technology company, this contract is further confirmation for the performance capabilities and reliability of the PIRANHA vehicles, this being the second contract for the Irish Army within the last three years.

          In the face of strong international competition, in November 1999 MOWAG was able to win the first contract with the Irish government for the delivery of 40 PIRANHA IIIH 8x8 vehicles in the configurations of Armoured Personnel Carrier, Command, Ambulance and Maintenance & Recovery. This first contract included an Option Clause for further vehicles of the PIRANHA family. The Irish Government has now exercised this option, herewith expressing the customers satisfaction with the vehicles already delivered by MOWAG with respect to the performance capability and reliability


          Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

          Comment


          • #6
            Resurrected for those who want to know what we have.

            APC version



            Armoured Ambulance

            Armoured Ambulance interiorInterior

            Command Vehicle Interior


            Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by hptmurphy
              As usual the minister chickened out.Didn't see any restrictions placed on the new fleet of ministerial mercedes.Did any body else?
              On top of the new fleet of E270 Mercedes and some volvos for those who like a bit of swedish, they splashed out on a fleet of Armoured Audi A8's for the whole 6 months of the EU Presidency. The package also comes with several VW Transporters (Non - Armoured) for the less important Eurocrats and i'd swear the cops got some other VW / Audi toys aswell. The Ministerial Driving / Protection section in Phoenix park probably has more Armoured vehicles than Cav at this stage. The GNIB also spent a few million on flights for failed asylum seeker, i dont see why they couldnt have been thrown into a CASA and flown back to wherever instead of wasting money on some bloody charter plane

              Comment


              • #8
                The DOD is always the first department to get cutbacks.
                To close with and kill the enemy in all weather conditions, night and day and over any terrain

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                • #9
                  Just a point,the A'8 S ARE ALL supplied foc BY VW FOR THE first 6 MONTHS OF WHICH ONLY 6 are armoured.VW view this as a way of cheap advertising and a way of getting on the right side of the government when the tender for state cars comes up later this year. The way I see it, every one has won here as it doesnt cost the taxpayer a cent.

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