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  • This is not new news. I was told this last year.

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    • News to me.

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      • Press Release - Friday 12 April 2013

        Defence Forces Troops Prepare For Deployment to Lebanon

        332 Defence Forces troops from the 108th IRISHFINN Battalion are today (12th of April 2013) entering the final phase of intense training in preparation for their forthcoming deployment to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

        The 108th IRISHFINN Battalion will deploy to Lebanon in May, taking over duties from the 107th IRISHFINN Battalion who have been serving with UNIFIL since November 2012.

        The Mission Readiness Exercise puts commanders and soldiers through a demanding series of scenarios based on the current situation in Lebanon and potential threats that may be encountered in the volatile mission area. In the last number of days the troops have faced a series of scenarios involving simulated explosive strikes, air mobile helicopter drills, anti ambush tactics, detailed operational planning and medical evacuation exercises.

        Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations) Major General Ralph James visited the exercise today and stated “This Mission Readiness Exercise is testing our troops across a spectrum of realistic simulated peace support scenarios. This training has been realistic and thoroughly robust. I am confident that this unit will maintain the excellent reputation of the Irish Defence Forces in this troubled region and I wish them well on their forthcoming tour of duty.”

        The 108th IRISHFINN Battalion will be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Anthony McKenna, from Cahir, Co Tipperary who is currently the Officer Commanding the 12th Infantry Battalion in Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick. Lt Col McKenna, who has over 32 years experience in the Army and has previously deployed overseas to Somalia, Syria, Chad and Afghanistan, stated “I am looking forward to the honour of taking command of this combined Irish Finnish Unit on overseas service, this volatile mission area will always test peacekeepers but I know this unit is up to the challenge.”

        The 177 Finnish Soldiers deployed by their country are an integral part of the IRISHFINN Battalion. Both Ireland and Finland share a common, solid reputation in peacekeeping worldwide as well trained and impartial professionals. Irish and Finnish Troops have most recently served together in joint units in Kosovo and Chad. Six Finnish Officers are participating in this exercise ahead of their deployment. The Irish Defence Forces have extensive experience of the culture, geography and the people of South Lebanon and are proud to contribute to the Peace and Security in the region.

        The Defence Forces have 55 continuous years experience on peacekeeping operations in some of the most hostile regions around the globe, protecting some of the most vulnerable people in the world. 86 Irish Soldiers have lost their lives on overseas service since 1958 with 47 making the ultimate sacrifice in Lebanon.

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        • Bazookas in the Wicklow mountains

          Newstalk Breakfast reporter Kieran Cuddihy goes out to watch the Irish Army as they prepare for their next mission

          The Irish Defence Forces made its first contribution to peacekeeping in 1958 when some fifty officers were assigned to the United Nations as observers in southern Lebanon. Since that time, over 30,000 personnel have served in the country and the latest group will be making their way there over the course of the next few weeks.

          This deployment invloves 331 Irish troops from the 108th Battalion, mostly coming from the southern half of the country. The unit consists of one Mechanised Infantry Company, one Reconnaissance Company, one Battalion Support Group and one Battalion Headquarters.

          The Irish will be joined there by 176 Finnish personnel so this is a joint troop deployment between the two countries.

          The training for Irish troops always peaks for deployment overseas and that peak is live fire training. So that means firing live rounds at static targets. The Irish army never ran live fire exercises before 2006 for safety reasons and for those taking part yesterday, it’s been a huge advance in terms of the combat readiness of Irish forces.

          The man who runs these exercises is Commandant Keith Murphy and in this clip he explains their value:

          The live fire training exercises that took place yesterday were essentially staged incidents. The first involved nine troops who came under fire while walking along a road and had to double back on themselves. The second involved 31 troops making their way, while under attack, across a field of about 7 or 8 acres.



          The weapon featured in the picture above is the SRAAW – the short range anti armour weapon. It's what the army call a 'fire and forget' weapon. As soon as the round has been fired, the weapon can't be used again and is thrown aside.

          Since the Israeli HizbAllah war in 2006, southern Lebanon is a relatively hairy place to do business. It’s mainly Shia but with Sunni, Christian and Druze enclaves. In that 2006 conflict, 42 Israelis died and over 1000 Lebanese. Since then, there has been a continuous list of isolated incidents or rockets attacks and exchanges of gunfire.

          From an Irish perspective, 86 Irish soldiers have died on overseas missions and 47 of those have been in the Lebanon. Many of the soldiers and officers doing the exercises yesterday in Wicklow have come under fire on previous deployments to the country.

          In recent years, the Irish mission has also changed. Previously the Irish had been involved in manning static check points but now they do roving patrols which brings its own challenges and dangers.

          Despite that, there was an obvious enthusiasm for the mission amongst the troops in Wicklow. There was a sense that Ireland has been there for such a long time and so many have served there that there is almost an obligation to keep that work up.

          It’s something that Major General Ralph James who is Deputy Chief Staff for this mission touched on:

          It wasn't just troops running around Wicklow yesterday. Members of the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality were in attendance. It’s unsurprising that they would take an interest, given these straitened economic times, in how the Defence Forces were spending their budget.

          The expenditure allocation for the Dept of Defence for 2013 is over €900m. Budget 2013 also reaffirmed the intention of the Government to continue implementing a reorganisation of the Defence Forces. Though that very same Budget also committed Ireland to meeting its obligations for overseas peace operations so there is no danger of these missions being wound up.

          David Stanton, the Fine Gael TD for Cork East had this message yesterday for people who might question the value of sending Irish troops on overseas mission:


          Audio clips on Newstalk website.
          Last edited by Rhodes; 19 April 2013, 16:25.

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          • The Irish army never ran live fire exercises before 2006 for safety reasons and for those taking part yesterday, it’s been a huge advance in terms of the combat readiness of Irish forces.
            were did they get that info 2006???? wrong

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            • Surely Those metal pop up target (Saab Scania?) was there long before 2006?
              Last edited by Goldie fish; 19 April 2013, 16:41.


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

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              • never taught about about saab scania..there old enough we did an ex around2004 live fire at moving targets with rifles mags 84,s anti ambush drills from trucks etc could of even been before 04..
                Last edited by kaiser; 19 April 2013, 17:14.

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                • I assume it is LFTT, do stages 4 & 5 not could?

                  A SRAAW isn't a fire and forget weapon and that isn't what a fire and forget weapon is!

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                  • I remember using Saab Scania in 1977!

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                    • Originally posted by Battletour View Post
                      I remember using Saab Scania in 1977!
                      but it was all black and white back then

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                      • I did LFTT as part of rapid reaction training as far back as 2003!
                        "Let us be clear about three facts. First, all battles and all wars are won in the end by the infantryman. Secondly, the infantryman always bears the brunt. His casualties are heavier, he suffers greater extremes of discomfort and fatigue than the other arms. Thirdly, the art of the infantryman is less stereotyped and far harder to acquire in modern war than that of any other arm." ------- Field Marshall Wavell, April 1945.

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                        • Pretty sure I saw the Saab Scania range in the old guardroom in Kilworth round 1989 or 1990.


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

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                          • Mission Readiness Exercise

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                            • A good video on Naqoura.

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                              • Originally posted by Rhodes View Post
                                Mission Readiness Exercise

                                If "Tactical", why are the lights on on the vehicles?
                                'He died who loved to live,' they'll say,
                                'Unselfishly so we might have today!'
                                Like hell! He fought because he had to fight;
                                He died that's all. It was his unlucky night.
                                http://www.salamanderoasis.org/poems...nnis/luck.html

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