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Just out of curiosity, in the context of rumours/wishes of the NS operating a troopship; would that scenario create a need or scope for the current NS diver training to be expanded to something approaching that of a Combat swimmer branch.
i.e. Would there be room beyond the already extensive training requirements of NS divers to provide for beach recconaissance, obstacle demolition and sabotage of defences.
Once again putting this purely in an expeditionary peace support context, would this role expansion:
(a) Provide a NS troopship and or Recce/Security PV with a valuable always on asset by means of increasing the available number of combat divers (The ARW already have a Combat swimmer capability).
In this regard the nature of the work should be clarified, rather than a duplicate of the ARW's recce and raiding roles, a Naval Diver team would for the most part simply be increasing the NS's ability to carry out NS tasks overseas securely.
This would be achieved by:
1. Locating obstacles such as wreckage, mines or manmade defences before an NS vessel moves into an unsecured harbour or port, such as may be found on peace support operations in locations where the state has collapsed.
2. Providing armed security in said locations during the final approach of NS vessels or during a hasty departure such as in an evacuation of civilian or military personnel who cannot avail of other exit routes.
3.Providing onshore recconaissance either covertly or overtly (i.e. directing landings of personnel and materials).
4. Assisting Army recconaisance and SOF personnel in infiltrating inshore, by means of security and intelligence.
5. Providing onshore EOD capability for the securing of contested harbours etc.
(b) Enhance the Expeditionary capabilities of the NS PVs by providing the aforementioned services for premission recconaissance and security.
1. Providing an independent NS EOD clearance role (AFAIK underwater EOD is part of exisitng diver training but I'm unaware if they are trained to do so in unsecured environments.
2. Ensuring that ports and harbours nominally secured by international forces are genuinely so.
3. Providing security for onshore and inshore pre-mission recconaisance in the even that ARW or other security personnel are not available.
Basically what I'm suggesting is 20 or so Naval divers being given additional recce and EOD training and ten being deployed with any NS vessel that goes on operations outside Irish territorial waters.
This might seem modest to some, but given the size of the NS and the limited number of Divers altogether, added to the fact that the German Navy despite being larger than the total DF only has a similar number of combat swimmers will hopefully allow you to realise how ambitious a suggestion this actually is.
Nonetheless I'm making it on the basis that if it were to be put succesfully into operation it would (a) increase the security and capability of NS and DF missions overeseas and (b) Extend the potential for involvement in these operations of the NS far more than a similar investment in ship based weapon systems (asuming any new PVs will be armed
).
i.e. Would there be room beyond the already extensive training requirements of NS divers to provide for beach recconaissance, obstacle demolition and sabotage of defences.
Once again putting this purely in an expeditionary peace support context, would this role expansion:
(a) Provide a NS troopship and or Recce/Security PV with a valuable always on asset by means of increasing the available number of combat divers (The ARW already have a Combat swimmer capability).
In this regard the nature of the work should be clarified, rather than a duplicate of the ARW's recce and raiding roles, a Naval Diver team would for the most part simply be increasing the NS's ability to carry out NS tasks overseas securely.
This would be achieved by:
1. Locating obstacles such as wreckage, mines or manmade defences before an NS vessel moves into an unsecured harbour or port, such as may be found on peace support operations in locations where the state has collapsed.
2. Providing armed security in said locations during the final approach of NS vessels or during a hasty departure such as in an evacuation of civilian or military personnel who cannot avail of other exit routes.
3.Providing onshore recconaissance either covertly or overtly (i.e. directing landings of personnel and materials).
4. Assisting Army recconaisance and SOF personnel in infiltrating inshore, by means of security and intelligence.
5. Providing onshore EOD capability for the securing of contested harbours etc.
(b) Enhance the Expeditionary capabilities of the NS PVs by providing the aforementioned services for premission recconaissance and security.
1. Providing an independent NS EOD clearance role (AFAIK underwater EOD is part of exisitng diver training but I'm unaware if they are trained to do so in unsecured environments.
2. Ensuring that ports and harbours nominally secured by international forces are genuinely so.
3. Providing security for onshore and inshore pre-mission recconaisance in the even that ARW or other security personnel are not available.
Basically what I'm suggesting is 20 or so Naval divers being given additional recce and EOD training and ten being deployed with any NS vessel that goes on operations outside Irish territorial waters.
This might seem modest to some, but given the size of the NS and the limited number of Divers altogether, added to the fact that the German Navy despite being larger than the total DF only has a similar number of combat swimmers will hopefully allow you to realise how ambitious a suggestion this actually is.
Nonetheless I'm making it on the basis that if it were to be put succesfully into operation it would (a) increase the security and capability of NS and DF missions overeseas and (b) Extend the potential for involvement in these operations of the NS far more than a similar investment in ship based weapon systems (asuming any new PVs will be armed
).
, and is the diver's course just a glorified sport's diver's course such as PADI or CFT :p .
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