Interesting articles

Larbre34

Still cheaper than billeting and feeding the same number of personnel if they were back at home rather than on deployment

roadmaster

Cant be upsetting the chinesse Lads now.

https://www.thejournal.ie/taoiseach-micheal-martin-china-imis-criticism-of-china-ahead-of-visit-6911152-Dec2025/

roadmaster

Portugal to use use Tucanos for Anti UAS missions. We will see the PC9s during the EU gig Meetings i would say doing the same and also enforcing closed Air Space to light aircraft.

https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/embraer-a-29n-super-tucano-portugal/

jonnybigwallet

Cracking wee aircraft. Would make a great replacement for the pc9

sparky42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124100945#Comment_124100945

There is a substantial difference between the available fit out of the Tucanos and the PC9s, from fire control systems to actual rated weapons. The 9's are still going to be in the same situation as they are right now for any "airspace policing" in 6 months. In other words, .5" gun pods, not exactly in the same ballpark.

roadmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124101017#Comment_124101017

it will be very interesting to see what route they go down for replacement. Do they upgrade them. Do they replace them with a grob type aircraft or not replace them and farm out basic training either abroad or to one of the irish schools. But if they do that they cant pretend we have limited Air Policing.

sparky42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124101040#Comment_124101040

A half arsed solves nothing solution, no question.

zone 1

probably PC7

roadmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124101436#Comment_124101436

If they buy the PC 7 or PC21 they would have to admit we have zero air defence then. Is the PC 7 still in production?

sparky42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124101484#Comment_124101484

WE have Zero Air Defence now.

roadmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124101510#Comment_124101510

According to the State we have limited Air Defence with the PC9s. It might not be real Air Defence but the government like to pretend it is.

sparky42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124101520#Comment_124101520

When it comes to Defence the State thinks many things, few if any of them are actual reality though.

Larbre34

We have ZERO air defence now.

No radar, no integrated secure comms, no anti-aircraft missile batteries, no anti-drone response, no QRA fast jets or comprehensive airborne surveillance system.

No pretence, no guff, just zero.

Yes, no doubt we will see the PC-9s armed with cannons and rockets during the presidency, but if anything goes wrong they'll be shooting unguided munitions into populated areas, and won't that be just perfect.

roadmaster

Did anyone see the FF social media post last week about the Radar. They have a picture up that looks like a 5 year old drew a Fat Puma Helicopter, A Hind and a F18. Its very funny.

sparky42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124101659#Comment_124101659

Better than the US this year, who regularly used Russian ships/planes when posting about the US military.

Larbre34

While we must always balance such analysis with the retention figures and losses to the private sector, these recruitment and cadetship figures, at a 20 year high, are to be welcomed and applauded.

Hopefully we will see that critical mass continue to grow in 2026 and the important technical and support roles within the DF begin to reach full strength, whether thats ATC, or artificers, or catering, or aircraft technicians or gunnery mechanics or whatever.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/recruitment-by-the-defence-forces-surges-34pc-this-year/a2040576773.html

Larbre34

Forget the AI bubble and crypto chaos, if you have a few bob earning you next to nothing, get in on those European defence makers in 2026. 💶

banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124082778#Comment_124082778

I missed this tidbit of news in the hustle and bustle of Christmas.

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-government-has-sought-legal-advice-on-ajax/

The UKs MoD has confirmed in a reply to a parliamentary question that they have sought advice re: Ajax and the debacle it has descended to.

Personally, I'd be very curious to see what the arbitration clauses in the contract are and just how robust the mechanisms chosen are.
This has become an absolute national security failure and indeed an embarrassment for the MoD.
The UK hoping to be capable of fielding at least an expeditionary division, without sufficient manuveoure or armed recce platforms is a disaster.
That this was allowed reach this stage and that concurrently UKs tank and mobile artillery all hit obsolescence and need for recapitalisation at the same time?
Is going to become a lesson in how not to do "defence planning" for future staff courses.

Even without the risk of European war, they still hold themselves as a nation capable of expeditionary warfare.
Currently, they would struggle to field and support their RM brigade, let alone actually deploy the 1st Division.

sparky42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124103943#Comment_124103943

I'd say to be honest, the UK is screwed, they announced IOC before the latest "oh shite!", so I assume the contractor can argue that the development process had been accepted as complete. I mean the project is a joke, and very on brand for the rest of the UK procurement for decades if not longer.

Larbre34

A salutory tale indeed.

I think there is an ancient mentality lingering in Britain, back to the days of the V-bombers and TSR2 and Blue Steel, that they should be the ones innovating and originating, but really they haven't had the corporate knowledge or industrial base to do that effectively for many decades.

I mean it would be one thing if Ajax was a clean sheet design and had failed, but the Brits managed to take successful little European platform in ASCOD 2, and make a complete dog's dinner out of it!!

There should be resignations aplenty for the sheer incompetence, but there won't be. But it will be interesting to see the substance of a probable parliamentary inquiry that will follow the three separate sectoral investigations currently underway.

banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124104011#Comment_124104011

The IOC announcement has undercut them massively alright. The cherry picking and massaging of hulls, operational use and the willingness by MoD to accept GDLS' blaming the troops for the issues rather than drilling down to root causes?
Is mental, surely there is someone in the MoD's Ajax office tracking the Fleet Management & Conditional Maintainence reports?

It's hardly too much to assume that those reports were being reconciled against the actual maintenance logs and parts inventory?
If not,why not and what instructions were coming from GDLS and directed to whom to keep the lemons reaching required contracted availability and usage targets.

The absolute haphazard manner the initial deployment and performance feedback seems to have managed!
Speaks to extremely poor system controls and feedback during development being completely ignored.

Larbre34

This is how you police your territory. This is how defend a nation, and its assets and infrastructure.

Important to note that Finland had all of this capability when it was still non-aligned, before it ever joined NATO. Because it has a long and clear memory.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/31/europe/finland-estonia-undersea-cable-ship-detained-intl

sparky42

Who would have put money on someone from RTE listing Defence as the Number 1 threat for the State even 5 years ago:

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2026/0101/1550343-five-threats-ireland-faces-in-2026/

As much as I'm (and others) are negative about the pace and commitment the Departments and Government are showing towards Defence, it can't be denied that more attention is being shown to all our issues.

Larbre34

I'm loving your new 2026 optimism Sparky!

Though I think you and I would agree, that all this activity and this rather sudden prioritisation would not be happening if over 250 visits by high-value European officials weren't due to happen between July and December, including all 45 European heads of government being in one room under the EPC banner.

But regardless, we'll take it. We've always said an Irish government would have to be embarrassed into action, and so it is.

sparky42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124108584#Comment_124108584

It's a new year, I'm sure I'll be somewhat more pessimistic by December…

sparky42

more from RTÉ about reality:

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0102/1551155-eu-presidency-analysis/
while the IT has a subscriber article:

https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2026/01/02/eus-neutral-member-states-face-hard-choices-as-war-returns-to-continent/

https://archive.ph/je9WW

sparky42

Hey @Manic Moran any views on the new Abrams?

https://www.twz.com/land/our-first-glimpse-at-the-m1e3-abrams-next-gen-tank-demonstrator

Manic Moran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124127787#Comment_124127787

My public opinion.

https://x.com/Chieftain_armor/status/2008652264282701992

I actually know more than I can publicly say, but I'm going to go to see it in two days and will try to tease out some statements on the record from the people who are authorised to say more than I am.

Larbre34

Colonel Johnny Whittaker, current Director of Military Training and Education and former Commandant of the Military College, has been appointed by the government to be the new Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, and will be promoted to the rank of Major General.

Col. Whittaker is a career infantry and special operations force officer, and commanded Ireland's first EU battlegroup participation, EU-NORDIC in 2008.

sparky42

Kind of a strange article from Dorcha Lee:

https://www.thesun.ie/news/16384459/irish-defence-forces-military-vulnerable-radical-approach/

I mean, some nations like the UK have historical reasons for such "foreign forces", but I don't really get why he's suggesting its a model for us? Also I'd have a real issue with his argument of "erosion" in capabilities, we never had capabilities that he's arguing for in the first place so how could they have been eroded?