In the early days of the Naval Service we had an in-house Training School covering all the basic skills required for training Ratings of all Branches. Most advanced Technical Artificers came to the Navy via The Army Technical School at Naas and completed Naval Training at Haulbowline , with some additional courses at CTI. In general we produced Gunners, Radar plotters, Tactical Sonar operators, Underwater weapons operatives, ,Stokers, Ships carpenters, Catering and Q personnel and Medical Attendants. When the CMS's arrived we set to and developed skills in Minesweeping and categories of Diving.
The Naval School had it's many training bays for most shipboard specializations and a Diving School was added. School courses were always augmented in Specialist areas with courses both Naval and general in the UK and overseas as required.
In the 1970's a new building program brought major Fleet changes including a helicopter operating ship equipped with Air Warning radar, Fire Control. Laser Range finding, Infra red camera, and Active Sonar . Since then three new ships have been added with two more to follow.
Intermixed with this ongoing regeneration The National Maritime College of Ireland came into being and has provided major segments of Navigation and technical Training.
It seems with this constant change of ships being replaced or reduced in capability ,as in the case of Eithne, we are loosing old skills which should be nurtured and regenerated throughout the fleet. Our newer ships should have had Air Warning and Sonar equipments so that they could patrol and observe activity at sea , below surface, surface and in the air space above. The Mission must dictate the type of Fleet we need , Training and equipments.
The Naval School had it's many training bays for most shipboard specializations and a Diving School was added. School courses were always augmented in Specialist areas with courses both Naval and general in the UK and overseas as required.
In the 1970's a new building program brought major Fleet changes including a helicopter operating ship equipped with Air Warning radar, Fire Control. Laser Range finding, Infra red camera, and Active Sonar . Since then three new ships have been added with two more to follow.
Intermixed with this ongoing regeneration The National Maritime College of Ireland came into being and has provided major segments of Navigation and technical Training.
It seems with this constant change of ships being replaced or reduced in capability ,as in the case of Eithne, we are loosing old skills which should be nurtured and regenerated throughout the fleet. Our newer ships should have had Air Warning and Sonar equipments so that they could patrol and observe activity at sea , below surface, surface and in the air space above. The Mission must dictate the type of Fleet we need , Training and equipments.
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