Does Ireland have any Nuclear missiles? And how many fighter jets do we have left?

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Ireland is a member of EUFOR, Norway is not. Plus, apart from having to perform NATO obligations, does it have any real external threat.

We operated under a EUFOR mandate for the first year that we were in Chad, then switched to the MINURCAT mandate.

You do realise that EUFOR is merely a mandate given to certain operations by the EU Military Staff and not any kind of military alliance in the same vein as NATO?

EDIT: Sorry, didn't see your edited post. No, it has no visible external threat at the moment but it's also spends more than double it's percentage of GDP than we do and takes it's Defence spending seriously, something our Government doesn't do.

ejmaztec wrote: »

Ireland doesn't need nuclear weapons or jet-fighters, not when the UK is always on hand to patrol Irish air-space should the need arise.

Politicians here like to maintain the status-quo, because it gives them more money to piss away into oblivion.

Actually that is a point. What are the odds the UK would defend us?

For the sake of argument we're going with NI is still and will be (in a war) part of the UK.
What happens if we get bombed and a piece of shrapnel lands over the border to NI? Are the UK going to go nuts or just say "fu*k it lads"?

Chaotic_Forces wrote: »

Actually that is a point. What are the odds the UK would defend us?

For the sake of argument we're going with NI is still and will be (in a war) part of the UK.
What happens if we get bombed and a piece of shrapnel lands over the border to NI? Are the UK going to go nuts or just say "fu*k it lads"?

Defend us against who? who is bombing us and for what?

Bombing a country's military to soften them up before invasion suggests they have hardware to be bombed. Probably after they declined to hand over their resources too,
I suggest we dont spend the money nothing to bomb
Anyway our politicians would have signed our oil/gas away long before that happens :rolleyes:

RobitTV wrote: »

just wondering Does ireland have any nuclear missiles?? and how many fighter jets do we have ive heard we have 3 but two are broking i think?

I dare say big Biffo, lets off the odd chemical weapon a few Sunday mornings a year, thats it mate!

Absurdum wrote: »

unfortunately the guns are currently U/S due to corrosion issues...

both of them?

Trusting that wiki is accurate (ahem)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_vehicles_of_the_Irish_Army

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Naval_Service#Current_strength

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Air_Corps#Aircraft (this lists Lear and Gulfstream civilian jets )

Fuzzy wrote: »

How many of the Irish army snipers actually went out to conflict zones and killed people? Or are you talking about some target shooting competition?

Likewise the Irish special forcs are one of the best in the world ....
Are you kidding? They go out to slightly dangerous "peacekeeping" missions, which is great. Fair play, we´re up on a world stage and doing good work. They have no or little experience of actual special combat operations. Lets see them land at night from helos by the fast ropes onto ships, or kill hostage takers with their long guns from helicopters a mile away. The Americans, British, Aussies, Israelis, Russians, French all have noted special forces. The Irish (quite rightly as we are a neutral country) do not have one of the best spec ops forces in the world. They have fairly little serious real combat experience.

Just because the newspapers will praise the Irish spec forces to no end, doesn´t actually mean that they are one of the best in the world.

And if you think the americans or brits or germans are sending their best most experienced people to "special ops competitions" and quoting newspaper articles re:same, you are deluded.

These guys kill people quietly, usually without recognition for a living.
They are not going to pander to the cameras on sports day to try to beat the Irish in the egg and spoon race.
That newspaper article is from Aug 2003, don´t you think the best guys were already deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan at that stage and were too busy to play games?

Mods, this is going to be off topic and I apologise but I am sick to death of internet warriors with opinions on things they dont have first hand experience of.

"How many of the Irish army snipers actually went out to conflict zones and killed people? Or are you talking about some target shooting competition?"

Our DF snipers are very well trained. They are deployed to every troop mission undertaken by the DF. They have been called on many many times while serving overseas. The fact that they did not need to pull the trigger and take someones face off does not mean they are not good. They have competed against other snipers from around the world and held their own. In fact a few years ago, a sniper from the ARW came 1st in an international sniping competition.

"Likewise the Irish special forcs are one of the best in the world ....
Are you kidding?"

The ARW are very very well trained. They are respected by other international militaries including other SF units. They are unassuming and do not advertise their work. That is all operational knowledge you need to know about the ARW.

They go out to slightly dangerous "peacekeeping" missions, which is great. Fair play, we´re up on a world stage and doing good work.

Have you been on a peacekeeping/peace enforcement mission?
Do you know why we volunteer to deploy to these "slightly dangerous missions"?
Do you actually know anything about the DF or the ARW?

"Lets see them land at night from helos by the fast ropes onto ships, or kill hostage takers with their long guns from helicopters a mile away"

This below is what the ARW are trained to do. Please read the list and try to comprehend what each task entails. Can you do any of them?......respect the people that can!

Offensive Operations behind enemy lines :
Securing of vital objectives
Long Range Patrolling - Raids - Ambushes - Sabotage
Capture of key personnel
Diversionary Operations
Intelligence Gathering

Defensive Operations
VIP Protection
Counter insurgency
Training in and conduct of specialist operations
Delay Operations

Aid to the Civil Power (Anti-Terrorist Tasks)
Anti-Hijack Operations - aircraft, ferry, ship, bus, train.
Hostage Rescue Operations.
Airborne and Seaborne Interventions.
Search Operations - Difficult or dangerous specialist tasks on land or at sea.
Pursuit Operations over any terrain.
Recapture of terrorist-held objectives - Vital Installations, Embassies, Airports, Gas & Oil Rigs, Summit venues, Broadcasting and Government facilities.
VIP Security Operations/Close Protection of VIPs.
Contingency Planning to Counter Terrorist/Subversive Threat

Among others:
Physical Training.
Advanced Shooting and Marksmanship.
Long Range Patrolling - Survival Training and Rough terrain navigation.
Hostage Rescue Tactics - House, Aircraft, Bus, Train and Ship assaults. Parachuting
Boat Handling
Combat Diving
Advanced Navigation
Sniping
Explosives Intervention
Communications
Medical

"just because the newspapers will praise the Irish spec forces to no end, doesn´t actually mean that they are one of the best in the world."

Just because you dont know what they do or have done does not mean they are not one of the best in the world. However, they are one of the best TRAINED in the world.

We have a minimal defence budget which limits our size, equipment and training, nevertheless we are very well trained and well equipt. Our DF is sufficient for our current needs. Our tasks at home are varied but we are mainly known for our ATCP roles but we excel on overseas deployments.

Despite our size and our "combat experience", the UN continuously requests Irish peacekeepers to deploy to conflict zones. We have 50 years experience serving on peacekeeping/peace enforcement missions around the world, given that we are a small country thats less than 100 years old, this is a great feat.

We have served and unfortunately some have died in these "slightly dangerous missions". El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Kosovo, Georgia, Bosnia, Cyprus, Yugoslavia, Western Sahara, Chad, Ivory Coast, Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, Somalia, Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Liberia, Lebanon, Syria, Georgia, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, New Guinea, India, Pakistan, East Timor and Sri Lanka. We are not sent to these places for a suntan or a holiday. These are/were very hostile places where people were being murdered. There was genocide and ethnic cleansing happening.

I personally have served in Lebanon, Liberia and Chad. Id like to think that my presence in these countries was worthwhile and maybe helped stabilise them and provide a better future for their people. I have never killed anyone, even though I am well trained and capable of doing so. There have been situations where force was needed but diplomacy and a cool head wins out in the long run. I know for a fact the my presence has stopped men, women and children being kidnapped, raped, mutilated and murdered.

Some say we are not needed. Some say we are a waste of money and a burden on the taxpayer. I hope to God we are never needed in our own country, but if we are, Il be there, along with the rest of our well trained DF by my side.

I will continue to serve my country with pride no matter what BS is said about us. I will continue to be well trained and I will continue to serve overseas in "slightly dangerous places".

We have no nuclear weapons at all. We dont have the money and we dont need them. We dont have any fighter jets, we dont have the money plus our air space and land mass doesnt warrant it.


Sorry for the rant:P