Mali.

[Sparky42]

Time to upgrade their veciles though. 15 year old Ford F350s just won't cut it any more.

Did the "expansion" of the Wing ever happen, given modern security issues how many could be sent while holding an adequate reserve (just thinking out loud not asking for details).

As for the F350's a fair point.

[Turkey]

Did the "expansion" of the Wing ever happen, given modern security issues how many could be sent while holding an adequate reserve (just thinking out loud not asking for details).

As for the F350's a fair point.

Probably best not answered here, but the age of the vehicles is a good point, replacements would probably run to a couple of days of leo's pay..

[Sparky42]

Probably best not answered here, but the age of the vehicles is a good point, replacements would probably run to a couple of days of leo's pay..

Agreed, I didn't want or expect any details, just thinking out loud I suppose.

[GoneToTheCanner]

Govt policy on 4x4s for all Departments is that anything over 10 years old should be replaced, as soon as, unless the operator can make a justifiable case for retention. A friend of mine who is responsible for the small quantity of vehicles in his very small unit of one Department, was told exactly this when he was told to turn in his 14 year old Trooper, which was in excellent condition, when an audit was done on his vehicles. He was told that it was Ford Ranger or nothing, unless he could prove his case. Specialist operators (DF, ESB, Coillte and so on) have a better case to get the vehicle they want instead of having a Ford Ranger imposed on them. I expect the ARW can make a strong case on a more direct route than burrowing through the bureaucracy....

[DeV]

Wait until they are all told to go electric

[na grohmiti]

Some NS vehicles have gone electric.
The ARW have a history of getting vehicles suitable for all tasks they carry out, not necessarily from the Govt Supplies catalog. Business cases are not the ark of the covenant they once were.
The F350 was a specialised vehicle, more akin to an AFV purchase. They recently got ACMAT Tactical vehicles to back up the F350. Nobody else in the DF has used acmat for years. The suggestion they would get a Ford ranger is thankfully not the case. Unless that is they seek a 4x4 high end passenger vehicle suitable for pulling horseboxes....Anything is possible.
My dept replaced a 1998 Land Rover Discovery Commercial with a 2016 Pajero Commercial. The other option we were given was a Ford Kuga commercial. We still operate a 2007 Kia Sorento.
GS just got a batch of Hyundai Tuscons.

[apod]

MOD: Back on topic folks.Plenty of other threads about DF Vehicles.

[EUFighter]

Govt considering proposal over sending army rangers to Mali



https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/201...y-ranger-wing/

Why the need for the ARW on a training mission?
The EUTM is a purely non-combative deployment to develop local forces to ensure security.
There is also the UN Peacekeeping force MINUSMA but we are currently not part of it.

Given the specialist nature of the ARW what would be the mission in Mali? It cannot be to just provide base security nor that they have not been deployed for 10yrs!

[Rhodes]

Why the need for the ARW on a training mission?
The EUTM is a purely non-combative deployment to develop local forces to ensure security.
There is also the UN Peacekeeping force MINUSMA but we are currently not part of it.

Given the specialist nature of the ARW what would be the mission in Mali? It cannot be to just provide base security nor that they have not been deployed for 10yrs!

It hasn't been publicly stated yet what mission they will be deployed to but it should be quite obvious to most what it will be.
There is other Europen Special Forces in Mali which should give a clue.

[apod]

Why the need for the ARW on a training mission?
The EUTM is a purely non-combative deployment to develop local forces to ensure security.
There is also the UN Peacekeeping force MINUSMA but we are currently not part of it.

Given the specialist nature of the ARW what would be the mission in Mali? It cannot be to just provide base security nor that they have not been deployed for 10yrs!

One of the three roles of SOF.
1/ Direct action
2/ Special Reconnaissance
3/ Military Assistance

Read the article about the ARW in the link below and you will have answered your own question.
http://data.axmag.com/data/201601/20...ASH/index.html

[DeV]

Why the need for the ARW on a training mission?
The EUTM is a purely non-combative deployment to develop local forces to ensure security.
There is also the UN Peacekeeping force MINUSMA but we are currently not part of it.

Given the specialist nature of the ARW what would be the mission in Mali? It cannot be to just provide base security nor that they have not been deployed for 10yrs!

Could be with MINUSMA, could be EUTM force protection, could be training training Malian SF

[pym]

Article on the Canadian presence in Mali:
http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone...oyment-in-mali

Canada’s Task Force Mali deployed to the country in July 2018 and consists of three CH-147F Chinooks, five CH-146 Griffon helicopters, and approximately 250 personnel in total....

...Unfortunately, the Canada has insisted that its contribution is temporary and will end after a year, as planned, in July 2019.....

So far, it remains unclear who might replace the Canadians in Mali. There’s no guarantee that whoever might step in to take their place will bring their own Chinooks and be able to provide anywhere near the capability the CH-147Fs have offered peacekeepers for the past six months.

Well, alas, the DF wont be able to provide Chinooks...

[DeV]

https://www.rte.ie/news/analysis-and...h-troops-mali/

[na grohmiti]

Why such a small deployment?
Some Irish Defence analysts are suggesting this is half the minimum requirement for a useful mission.

Don Lavery for example.

1. Risk is real as Irish special forces to deploy to Mali via @RTENewsNow

This is interesting. ARW will deploy as part of MINUSMA not as part of EUTM training mission.
It means an anti-terrorist mission but with only 12 soldiers?
https://t.co/h2jMCGFMDM

— don lavery (@donlav) January 13, 2019

2. Sending 12 ARW operators to Mali is the same as a patrol of 4 SRVs - or two patrols of 2 SRVs.
Not even enough soldiers to crew ACMAT motherships, which can accompany the patrols carrying water, ammo, food and casualties.
Why not sent a beefed up platoon of 40 as before?

— don lavery (@donlav) January 13, 2019

Unless that is, the teams will operate as part of another nations ORBAT.

[apod]

12 or less need no Dail Approval.Just the Cabinet and the UN Mandate.
If they do go as part of MINUSMA they will be embedded into another contingent.Possibly the Dutch.
Just like in Timor.

[DeV]

It could be say 2-4 close protection teams for VIPs, could be embedded with another, could be a training element for Malian SF

Or it could be the media are wrong

[Fantasia]

It could be say 2-4 close protection teams for VIPs, could be embedded with another, could be a training element for Malian SF

Or it could be the media are wrong

Or you could just stop guessing when you do not know

[DeV]

Or you could just stop guessing when you do not know

And neither does the media

They can’t say it isn’t enough when they don’t know what the tasking is

It would be sufficient for some jobs but far from all

[paul g]

A senior RTÉ journalist would have got an in-depth briefing from did/do press office before writing article. As for the size of mission they’ll imbed with another nations special forces company, and it will have to go through Dail. Interesting enough along with special forces the other ground units on the mission are Istar tf similar to the ones we have for eubg deployment.

[morpheus]

Im pretty sure that ARW go overseas a LOT without this much noise, if were being told about it, theres political gain in the telling.

[Sparky42]

Im pretty sure that ARW go overseas a LOT without this much noise, if were being told about it, theres political gain in the telling.

Could be European related or for diplomatic efforts like the UN seat campaign.

[Fantasia]

Could be European related or for diplomatic efforts like the UN seat campaign.

Got it in 1

[apc]

Rangers to deploy to Mali https://thenewsrep.com/112974/irish-...eploy-to-mali/

8 Un peacekeepers killed https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...eepers-UN.html

[apod]

Rangers to deploy to Mali https://thenewsrep.com/112974/irish-...eploy-to-mali/

8 Un peacekeepers killed https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...eepers-UN.html

The author of the first article needs to do better research.Not the units first rodeo and they will be embedded within a larger SOF unit.Also their equipment is second to none.

[Flamingo]

The author of the first article needs to do better research.Not the units first rodeo and they will be embedded within a larger SOF unit.Also their equipment is second to none.

To be fair, I read the authors comment on equipment as in relation to the Malian government request for armour and helicopters, neither of which Ireland will be supplying.

This is also positive move for the Malian government, as these Special Operation troops won’t be there to train or advise. The job is to actively seek out terrorists and bandits operating in the north and middle regions of the country. The Malian government said previously it doesn’t need more training troops: what it needs is more troops, armored vehicles, and helicopters to conduct offensive operations to help lower the risk to the civilian population.

Personally, I don’t think Ireland will be in a position to provide the requested military equipment. Nevertheless, deploying its best unit to conduct offensive operations is a pro-active move for both countries.