Not exactly the right spot for all of this but anyway...
[Below relates to my other post regards ‘MOU/defence agreements’ – France and Sweden/Norway/Finland and, previous comments regards the Defence Forces as the nation’s last resort insurance policy etc.]
‘Principles’:
Equipment Attainment (the FUN stuff, obviously!):
- Second hand & with known 2nd uses.
- Preference for medium (or small) sized example items for maximum deployment
- Adopt lesser capable items if, results in items with secondary/more flexible use.
Personnel:
Re-balance of DF - transfer some Army nos. to greater Air Corps and Naval components.
Re-review (again) RDF – for a conscious, middle course approach – 1st line Reserve (ex-PDF), and 2nd line Reserve of 2 x classes – all intakes initially as Class ‘2.2’ non-integrated - old FCA approach – purposely in greater numbers (in a localised GAA style) i.e. explicit intention to have ‘large’ numbers up to basic ‘trained’ private level (2 star) and involving no (take home) issue of uniform...and circa 1-3 months after attaining 2 stars – issued (take home) uniforms. Post 3-star...stream members (voluntarily) into ‘integrated’ (replacement/supplement PDF nos.) class 2.1 reserve OR, for lesser onus of commitment, standards, more local centre opportunities and lesser gratuity, to remain within class 2.2.
‘Mitty-ensemble’!, equipment suggestions..
(in the format of: What – Who - Why)
[In order of priority]
Air/anti-air
-ADATS AA missiles (&anti-armour) – Canada/Philipines – Canada stock recently in storage, similar operation to PDF’s RBS70 but, longer range, bigger warhead, secondary use.
-Mistral AA missile – France and many others – unlike RBS70 is ‘Fire&Forget’ and guided by heat
-AA-8 AA missile – Ukraine & many others – small & fired from jets, helicopters & vehicles
Ground equipment
-Radar onto existing towed 40mm, as on single/twin 40mm towed guns & CV90/40AA – Sweden, Argentina etc. – near CIWS anti-air/missile, cheaper vs. missiles
-76mm wheeled self-propelled AA – long est. commercial offers – naval service, long range, cheaper
-130mm artillery (& anti-armour) – Finland/Iran/Ukraine/India/Eygpt? etc.etc.- inherent long range (50% better than existing, best-range PDF), 90% heavier than PDF’s longest range available shell
- DORA self propelled artillery truck – Czcech Rep./ Cyprus etc. – wheeled, stored(?), convertible (to 130mm? Etc.)
-Roiikat armoured car – South Africa – replaced AML, wheeled, 76mm with Naval service, stored
Air Corps
-Continue standard on P&W Turbo-prop’ engines but, also use 2nd standard on Lycoming OI prop engines – omnipresent, commercial, cheaper to buy, operate, spares
-Re-purchase SF-260W (but with uprated 300hp Lycoming) – many – cheap, good trainers & range
-Re-purchase Cessna – (Lycoming series) – omnipresent – very cheap, good training, useful
-Britten-Norman Islander (or Tri-Lander!?) (Lycoming only) – many – cheap, range, used for Garda
-Z8/(Frelon) (lease&later get new type) SAR& Army models Helicopter – China – P&W engines, cheaper, previous French user, excuse to train with France
-CASA CN -290 Maritime – Mexico/ Ecudor/US? Spain? Etc. – extg. Similar CN235 in Air Corps, but better range, and P&W engines?
- CASA CN-235 transport – many – CN235 in Air Corps, good as niche use e.g. UN small missions
:- [IF to ‘obtain’ jets (judgment call for two (vs.one) engines unless extreme other reason (e.g.v/stol harrier/yak) as over ocean deployment more dangerous/arduous, & too few aircraft/personnel to loose one example]
-2 seat Alpha Jet trainers– France/ Germany/Portugal/ltd.UK/etc. – two engines, wide use, cheap, stored, close users [or 2-seat trainer – Sweden – two engines, many stored? Close user, cheap?]
-2&1-seat Rafale Jet - France – two engines, close user [Euro’ user advert for them & Atlantic ‘presence’]
-135mm rocket – Sweden & India(?) – big warhead, from small aircraft, better range, guidance potential
Bases
-New airbase at Shannon airport (co-op/tandem with Naval air)
- New air station at Cork airport, some Knock (split air assets)
Naval Service
- bigger numbers in Naval Reserve (and make ties with boating clubs and sail schools if it helps)
- obtain FACs, name as ‘ ¼ boats’? – many nations – ‘¼ boats’ crew c.12 pers’, short-period ship substitute /training/ relay/ picket/inshore patrols, 2½- 3 day w’end for Reserves, inboard(diesel)&outboard engines? 40kts sprint?, big mix weapons, 4-8 at one per harbour/naval reserve unit or, per existing vessel.
-Keep existing 8 ship size (excl. proposed 4-8no. ¼ boats), ensure future orders to carry AW139/149 type heli, & hanger- (& Ki-8 emergency landing?)
- possible 130mm main gun on later ships, - e.g. Rus130mm/old Swedish 120/old Finland naval 120mm/155mm bandkannon? -
-make-do ‘CIWS’, triple 20mmx139 – France, Germany etc.etc. – cheap, stored, close users, for land/sea/air use
-400mm torpedo – Sweden/India/ etc.? – misc. Ranges/warheads, small-med, aircraft potential
-Crotale AA (& anti-ship) – France/Saudi Arabia etc.etc. – cheap(ish), widespread, small like ADATS/AA-8, land & sea use, close user
-Use time share on French Mistral vessel to UN duties?
– cross excuse to train re: Ki-8/Frelon, Alpha & Rafale jets, Crotale & 20mm systems
-RBS15 anti-ship – Sweden/Croatia etc. – med. size warhead, aircraft and land vehicles (& sea?)
- crew exchanges Sweden (and Scandinavian), France
Bases
-Naval air base at Shannon (& station at Cork) Airports (with CASA295, naval AW139/149 & Ki-8)
- locked ‘bunkers’ at ports for FAC type/ ¼ boats Reserve crafts
Land
-HOT3 anti-tank missile – Spain etc.etc. – long range, cheap, stored, works roughly like RBS70
-K3 MICV – Korea – with 40mm as PDF Naval&Army, close users(re calibre), amphibious, light, narrow,
-K1 LMG – Korea, Phillipines, Columbia? – cheap, potential to make Steyr compatible [as new & Euro user]
-K21? 20mm (v.short) – Korea, this &/or hybrid with Australia effort for Steyr - in use, ‘force multiplier’
-Denel MG151 20mm short – previous SA/ Portugal/France – superior to HMG, not much bigger,
-Denel 20mm rifle – SA/India or Pakistan/? – very long range, swaps to 0.5 etc. calibres. With MG151
-Denel 20mm bull pup? – no user – very short version of MG151 ammo, possible future hybrid mix with K21/Australian similar effort?
- retain the FN rifles
- re-commission AMLs – home/UN base protection, some UN patrol, possible remote use (point, decoy, mine hazard point vehicle..)
Equipment Packages...
– DORAs with 130mm artillery, 76mmAA/ 2x40mmAA with ADATSx4 (&2-4Crotale/AA-8/135mmrockets/chaff etc.?)
- 40mm and 20mm calibre families use across two to three PDF branches
- France/Sweden/Korea as source countries
‘Financing’ Packages...
- limited e.g. French/Swedish, access to airports, air base, ports for: use of French air/sea equipment (& Scandinavian)
- training opportunities & exchanges for: use of French air/sea equipment (& Scandinavians)
- Advertisement for them as new &, Euro’ users for: deals on Korean items & French (Rafale lease)
- Any surplus Irish Rail Locos/ trains/beef exchange for: k-8, ki8, k3s, K1, 130mm etc. (Korea as intermediary re 130mms?)
- Coilte trees/tree products, Bord Na Mona (power stn. &/or domestic fuel) & training for DORA & 130mm
- Tie use of many items into UN missions
- Increase military spending on UN missions but decreases overseas aid spending pro-rata
- Staged payments
- support supplier nations in overseas UN missions, and maybe EU missions
- crew exchange, or ship replacement when supplier nation caught short e.g. Naval vessel take over fishery patrols for Swedish or Norwegian ships broken down, undermanned, or chasing subs etc....
[Below relates to my other post regards ‘MOU/defence agreements’ – France and Sweden/Norway/Finland and, previous comments regards the Defence Forces as the nation’s last resort insurance policy etc.]
‘Principles’:
Equipment Attainment (the FUN stuff, obviously!):
- Second hand & with known 2nd uses.
- Preference for medium (or small) sized example items for maximum deployment
- Adopt lesser capable items if, results in items with secondary/more flexible use.
Personnel:
Re-balance of DF - transfer some Army nos. to greater Air Corps and Naval components.
Re-review (again) RDF – for a conscious, middle course approach – 1st line Reserve (ex-PDF), and 2nd line Reserve of 2 x classes – all intakes initially as Class ‘2.2’ non-integrated - old FCA approach – purposely in greater numbers (in a localised GAA style) i.e. explicit intention to have ‘large’ numbers up to basic ‘trained’ private level (2 star) and involving no (take home) issue of uniform...and circa 1-3 months after attaining 2 stars – issued (take home) uniforms. Post 3-star...stream members (voluntarily) into ‘integrated’ (replacement/supplement PDF nos.) class 2.1 reserve OR, for lesser onus of commitment, standards, more local centre opportunities and lesser gratuity, to remain within class 2.2.
‘Mitty-ensemble’!, equipment suggestions..
(in the format of: What – Who - Why)
[In order of priority]
Air/anti-air
-ADATS AA missiles (&anti-armour) – Canada/Philipines – Canada stock recently in storage, similar operation to PDF’s RBS70 but, longer range, bigger warhead, secondary use.
-Mistral AA missile – France and many others – unlike RBS70 is ‘Fire&Forget’ and guided by heat
-AA-8 AA missile – Ukraine & many others – small & fired from jets, helicopters & vehicles
Ground equipment
-Radar onto existing towed 40mm, as on single/twin 40mm towed guns & CV90/40AA – Sweden, Argentina etc. – near CIWS anti-air/missile, cheaper vs. missiles
-76mm wheeled self-propelled AA – long est. commercial offers – naval service, long range, cheaper
-130mm artillery (& anti-armour) – Finland/Iran/Ukraine/India/Eygpt? etc.etc.- inherent long range (50% better than existing, best-range PDF), 90% heavier than PDF’s longest range available shell
- DORA self propelled artillery truck – Czcech Rep./ Cyprus etc. – wheeled, stored(?), convertible (to 130mm? Etc.)
-Roiikat armoured car – South Africa – replaced AML, wheeled, 76mm with Naval service, stored
Air Corps
-Continue standard on P&W Turbo-prop’ engines but, also use 2nd standard on Lycoming OI prop engines – omnipresent, commercial, cheaper to buy, operate, spares
-Re-purchase SF-260W (but with uprated 300hp Lycoming) – many – cheap, good trainers & range
-Re-purchase Cessna – (Lycoming series) – omnipresent – very cheap, good training, useful
-Britten-Norman Islander (or Tri-Lander!?) (Lycoming only) – many – cheap, range, used for Garda
-Z8/(Frelon) (lease&later get new type) SAR& Army models Helicopter – China – P&W engines, cheaper, previous French user, excuse to train with France
-CASA CN -290 Maritime – Mexico/ Ecudor/US? Spain? Etc. – extg. Similar CN235 in Air Corps, but better range, and P&W engines?
- CASA CN-235 transport – many – CN235 in Air Corps, good as niche use e.g. UN small missions
:- [IF to ‘obtain’ jets (judgment call for two (vs.one) engines unless extreme other reason (e.g.v/stol harrier/yak) as over ocean deployment more dangerous/arduous, & too few aircraft/personnel to loose one example]
-2 seat Alpha Jet trainers– France/ Germany/Portugal/ltd.UK/etc. – two engines, wide use, cheap, stored, close users [or 2-seat trainer – Sweden – two engines, many stored? Close user, cheap?]
-2&1-seat Rafale Jet - France – two engines, close user [Euro’ user advert for them & Atlantic ‘presence’]
-135mm rocket – Sweden & India(?) – big warhead, from small aircraft, better range, guidance potential
Bases
-New airbase at Shannon airport (co-op/tandem with Naval air)
- New air station at Cork airport, some Knock (split air assets)
Naval Service
- bigger numbers in Naval Reserve (and make ties with boating clubs and sail schools if it helps)
- obtain FACs, name as ‘ ¼ boats’? – many nations – ‘¼ boats’ crew c.12 pers’, short-period ship substitute /training/ relay/ picket/inshore patrols, 2½- 3 day w’end for Reserves, inboard(diesel)&outboard engines? 40kts sprint?, big mix weapons, 4-8 at one per harbour/naval reserve unit or, per existing vessel.
-Keep existing 8 ship size (excl. proposed 4-8no. ¼ boats), ensure future orders to carry AW139/149 type heli, & hanger- (& Ki-8 emergency landing?)
- possible 130mm main gun on later ships, - e.g. Rus130mm/old Swedish 120/old Finland naval 120mm/155mm bandkannon? -
-make-do ‘CIWS’, triple 20mmx139 – France, Germany etc.etc. – cheap, stored, close users, for land/sea/air use
-400mm torpedo – Sweden/India/ etc.? – misc. Ranges/warheads, small-med, aircraft potential
-Crotale AA (& anti-ship) – France/Saudi Arabia etc.etc. – cheap(ish), widespread, small like ADATS/AA-8, land & sea use, close user
-Use time share on French Mistral vessel to UN duties?
– cross excuse to train re: Ki-8/Frelon, Alpha & Rafale jets, Crotale & 20mm systems
-RBS15 anti-ship – Sweden/Croatia etc. – med. size warhead, aircraft and land vehicles (& sea?)
- crew exchanges Sweden (and Scandinavian), France
Bases
-Naval air base at Shannon (& station at Cork) Airports (with CASA295, naval AW139/149 & Ki-8)
- locked ‘bunkers’ at ports for FAC type/ ¼ boats Reserve crafts
Land
-HOT3 anti-tank missile – Spain etc.etc. – long range, cheap, stored, works roughly like RBS70
-K3 MICV – Korea – with 40mm as PDF Naval&Army, close users(re calibre), amphibious, light, narrow,
-K1 LMG – Korea, Phillipines, Columbia? – cheap, potential to make Steyr compatible [as new & Euro user]
-K21? 20mm (v.short) – Korea, this &/or hybrid with Australia effort for Steyr - in use, ‘force multiplier’
-Denel MG151 20mm short – previous SA/ Portugal/France – superior to HMG, not much bigger,
-Denel 20mm rifle – SA/India or Pakistan/? – very long range, swaps to 0.5 etc. calibres. With MG151
-Denel 20mm bull pup? – no user – very short version of MG151 ammo, possible future hybrid mix with K21/Australian similar effort?
- retain the FN rifles
- re-commission AMLs – home/UN base protection, some UN patrol, possible remote use (point, decoy, mine hazard point vehicle..)
Equipment Packages...
– DORAs with 130mm artillery, 76mmAA/ 2x40mmAA with ADATSx4 (&2-4Crotale/AA-8/135mmrockets/chaff etc.?)
- 40mm and 20mm calibre families use across two to three PDF branches
- France/Sweden/Korea as source countries
‘Financing’ Packages...
- limited e.g. French/Swedish, access to airports, air base, ports for: use of French air/sea equipment (& Scandinavian)
- training opportunities & exchanges for: use of French air/sea equipment (& Scandinavians)
- Advertisement for them as new &, Euro’ users for: deals on Korean items & French (Rafale lease)
- Any surplus Irish Rail Locos/ trains/beef exchange for: k-8, ki8, k3s, K1, 130mm etc. (Korea as intermediary re 130mms?)
- Coilte trees/tree products, Bord Na Mona (power stn. &/or domestic fuel) & training for DORA & 130mm
- Tie use of many items into UN missions
- Increase military spending on UN missions but decreases overseas aid spending pro-rata
- Staged payments
- support supplier nations in overseas UN missions, and maybe EU missions
- crew exchange, or ship replacement when supplier nation caught short e.g. Naval vessel take over fishery patrols for Swedish or Norwegian ships broken down, undermanned, or chasing subs etc....
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