Our navy unable to intercept Drones

realdanbreen

So one of our warships spotted drones flying in Dublin Bay while there was a no flying in place but all they could do was observe and log it as we don’t have the capability to intercept safely! I don't know what it would have cost to have the ship there but obviously it was a complete waste of money!

Fann Linn

The more I read and hear about our Defence Forces the more depressing it becomes. The fault lies squarely with the Government for these fcuk ups.

Tippman24

i have said it herebefore that we, as a nation, do not want to invest in our defence. We have no ability to defend ourselves. I believe the only reason we have an army is that everybody else has one. My own belief is that we either we do it well i.e. invest in defence, or we do not do it at all. Next year we will be hosting the EU Summit and talk is that the French Navy is being asked to supply a frigate to guard airspace during the main conferance.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124044154#Comment_124044154

I served as a Reserve in the Air Defence Regiment for a decade.

Take it from me, it gets even more depressing.

Also, https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025/09/20/government-quietly-donates-air-defence-systems-to-ukraine/

realdanbreen

I agree that our defence capabilities are completely inadequate but to bring us up to scratch would cost billions and we as a people would not be prepared to fund that.i mean every johnny come lately with a Hi Vis jacket was out marching when we attempted to bring our water infrastructure into the 21st century!

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124044243#Comment_124044243

I disagree. Well slightly anyway. When I joined the reserve in 2001, there were about 14,000 reserves. Cue multiple recruitment freezes, and the bisbanding of various units, today that number is less than 2000.

If you want to do national defence cheaply, invest in the Reserve. OK, we would never be a match for a modern military, but God forbid, if there was ever a major event in this country, wouldn't it be handy if you could call up a decent number of people.

rodneytrotter15

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058429457/our-navy-unable-to-intercept-drones

Could they not have shot them with their super soakers

thebiglad

In the OP is says 'intercept safely' - perhaps by that they mean if they shot them down there was a likelihood they'd continue inland and come down on a populated area - then we'd really have something to get stuck into here…

If they'd deemed them a real threat though they could have called the neighbours who'd have a few jets based in Wales to come and sort them out.

LambshankRedemption

If they'd deemed them a real threat though they could have called the neighbours who'd have a few jets based in Wales to come and sort them out.

I was at the Galway Bay Air Show a few years ago and the Red Arrows did a display(which was spectacular) then finished their display and disappeared over the bay. About a minute later, the announcer came on the PA to say they had gotten word that the Red Arrows had just landed safely in RAF Brize Norton.

Jets scrambled from somewhere in the UK would be here faster than your local uber driver.

daheff

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124044243#Comment_124044243

The government didnt want to face the costs of upgrading Aer Lingus fleets as required…that was one of their explanations for selling the company. No chance they want to spend billions on Navy/Army/Airforce. Realistically even if they did, if some foreign power invaded we'd be surrendering in hours. We can't afford to have a large military with a sizeable proportion sitting around doing nothing most of the time. That money is better spent elsewhere.

now saying that we should have some capabilities. eg to defend against situations like this, or to police maritime waters to stop others damaging national infrastructures.

realdanbreen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124044361#Comment_124044361

My point was why send out a warship and crew at what surely cost 20K at least if they knew beforehand that they were powerless to do anything if drones appeared!

coolbeans

As we can't defend ourselves and happily let our historic "oppressors" police our skies and waters we're effectively a British protectorate.

Sovereign nations can do the minimum to defend themselves. We can't and won't ergo...

CreadanLady

I think spending on traditional military and naval forces is a waste of time, and having a large standing army and navy the bulk of which is enlisted without any specialist skills is also a waste of manpower. I think a total re-inspection is needed.

Army could be disbanded and a new specialist force of the gardai could be established. Like Gardai SWAT. Say, a few hundred highly trained professionals specialsists in counter terrorism operations, and cyber warfare and intelligence. 2 or 3 depots with access to helicopter and specialised vehicles like lightly armoured against small arms 4x4s and be set up to be deployed at a minutes notice to anywhere in the country within 30-45 minutes in an emergency. Get rid of all the big heavy "war fighting" equipment, AFVs, missiles etc. All we need is a highly mobile light counter-terrorist force.

The Navy can be completely dispensed with.

Coast Guard could be reconfigured and stregthened. We don't need big ships patrolling. Get rid of all the big heavy expensive vessels. Patrols & intelligence can be done by a small fleet of UAVs. With a small fleet of lightly armoured (small arms), and armed go-fast boats of a type suitable to allow speedy intercepting of suspect vessels and search and rescue operations. Also maintain the fleet of rescue helicopters.

We must remember that for significant periods of time in the state's existence, we didn't have a navy at all.

All this only requires a smaller Corp of highly trained well paid professionals, rather than the current setup where much of the forces are relatively unskilled and and poorly paid.

In the extremest emergencies where a larger force of manpower is needed, there could be a provision made in law that the Chiefs of Staff of each force could raise posses of suitable volunteers for a particular purpose. e.g large scale searches and recue, natural disasters, extreme weather events. A posse could be raised from a pool of somewhat trained reservists. Or even from a register of volunteers who can show that they are competent to aid authorities for some purpose, e.g. first aid qualified, healthcare, local authority staff, other skills useful in times of emergency.

redshift-rider

Most of the 'drone sightings' near airports and military bases are misidentification and mass-hysteria.

The New Jersey one went on for weeks and was on all the American news channels, but every single video was helicopters or planes in the distance. There's been similar things in Europe, never anything identified or shot down.

I don't have enough information to say this was the case the other day, but I would put money on it. Zelensky visit, people are jittery, nobody wants to be the one on watch who missed a drone that killed him. Suddenly everything is a drone, oh look, there's another one!

Certainly what was reported in the media was a bunch of poppycock and contradictions.

NewClareman

It is way past time that we "bit the bullet" and invested in a modern army, in line with similar European countries. Pretending to be neutral, while depending on the Uk and NATO to defend us, fools no one.
The plain reality is we are freeloading on other countries and some of those countries may not be around when we need them.

cranberry1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124045098#Comment_124045098

Good way of getting thrown out of the EU.

Economics101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124045098#Comment_124045098

Jesus wept, this sounds like Catherine Connolly on speed. I might agree on one thing: a land army is a bit of a waste on an island with no enemies anywhere near. A proper Navy and Air Force are what we really need to meet external threats.

rdhma

Eurofighter Typhoon: €100m each
Primary radar: €300m+
A strongly worded letter to Moscow: priceless

PixelCrafter

https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/arid-30664890.html

Twisted Doodles rather brilliant Irish defence system..

rdhma

From The Irish Times:

The drones were spotted by the crew of LÉ William Butler Yeats, which was positioned in Dublin Bay as part of the large scale security operation in place for Mr Zelenskiy’s visit.
The Yeats was unable to take any action regarding the drones aside from observing and reporting their location. It is not equipped with jammers or other countermeasures.
The use of the ship’s weapons systems, including its 20mm cannons and 76mm main armament were not deployed amid fears the rounds could land in Dublin and cause injury.
The ship is equipped with its own small unmanned aerial vehicle but this has no attack capability.
…

tom1ie

Sooner or later Europe are gonna highlight the fact that their western flank is complete unguarded and the country responsible for that is Ireland.
They’ll either fund a massive investment in our Navy and airforce

Or

There’ll be some sorta deal done to get a European NATO base installed in the west of Ireland that houses European navy and air resources to patrol European air and water space.
At the very least we should have primary radar and extensive sonar.

CalamariFritti

As likely British/NATO drones as anything. If indeed there was any…

Cyclingtourist

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058429457/our-navy-unable-to-intercept-drones

And how did the Danes (NATO) do when they had drones actually shutting down their airports?

PixelCrafter

Well the French just and to deal with them on Thursday evening:

https://www.rfi.fr/en/international-news/20251205-france-takes-anti-drone-measures-after-flight-over-nuclear-sub-base-1/

Flinty997

I think you're a big harsh on Irish Navy.

Lots of more modern Navy's have struggled with drones.

…And as described these maybe not be drones at all but something innocent.

rdhma

1. The Navy identified them as drones
2. They were operating in a no-fly zone.

As innocent as a bottle of Novichok, inside a matryoshka doll, in some hammer and sickle wrapping paper.

satguy

The British owe us unpaid rent, about 800 years worth.

So they work that off by using their RAF to keep an eye on our air space, and our west cost line.

It will make them happy to work off their debt.

DarkJager21

Our defence forces are a farce and are nowhere near adequate to delay or repel an invading force. 2 fellas in a dinghy and a "warship" that can't even take single drone down. We are the weakest link in European security chain and it's so glaringly obvious it hurts.

CalamariFritti

Not trying to be smart but what invading force would that be just out of curiosity?

monseiur

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124046042#Comment_124046042

We are not even a link in European security chain - all we have is a Dad's Army and Grandad's Navy. Any self respecting young man with an iota of a brain between his ears should not join either. Polishing your shoes and learning to march in a straight line day in day out and never ever experiencing a single day of action must be the most brain numbing existence for a fit & healthy adult human.

Charles Babbage

Few drones have been shot down in other European countries.

What do you do? Fire an expensive missile at it?

There is a need for new anti drone technology.