Explainer: Ireland’s High Level Action Plan to Enhance its Defence Forces

In a volatile and dangerous global environment, the question of how Ireland can protect itself against international threats has gained renewed importance in public discourse. On 9 February 2022, the Commission on the Defence Forces released a stark and frank report on the state of Ireland’s defence capabilities. It found that the State, at the present level of defence expenditure, would be without a credible military capability to protect Ireland, its people, and its resources in the event of an attack from a conventional military force.[1] In the context of the complex geopolitical landscape, this should be a concern for policymakers and citizens alike.

The High Level Action Plan

On 13 July 2022, the Government published its High Level Action Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces (HLAP). Here the Government outlined which of the recommendations made by the Commission on the Defence Forces (CoDF) in February 2022 would be implemented by Government.

The Department of Defence (DoD) and the Government have chosen a level of funding consistent with the Commission’s proposed second level of ambition (LOA2), termed Enhanced Capability. This would be an upgrade from Ireland’s present defence posture, or  LOA1, and would necessitate an increase in defence spending of just under €500 million over the next six years.[2] This increase would address some of the gaps in Ireland’s defences and would build on current capabilities, by, for example, purchasing more heavily armoured vehicles and radar systems.[3] However, an increase in spending to meet this second level of ambition would still only allow the Defence Forces to provide a limited response to incursion or attacks against the State.[4]

The Commission on the Defence Forces highlighted a third level of ambition - LOA3 – as an alternative framework that the Government could implement. LOA3 would involve ‘developing defence capabilities that would match those of other small Western European countries’[5], and would have included expanding the Naval Service from 9 to 12 vessels and purchasing fighter jet-aircraft at a cost of €2.967 billion annually.[6]  Unlike the second level of ambition, LOA3 is the only proposal by the Commission which would allow Ireland to defend itself in the event of an armed attack on the State.[7]

The High Level Action Plan has stated that the move to LOA3 could occur in the context of a ‘step-up’ from LOA2, but only following another comprehensive review of Ireland’s defence policy.[8] Consequently, the relatively long 2028 implementation timeline proposed in the HLAP to move to LOA2, and the barriers posed by the need for additional reviews, raise questions about whether LOA3 will be a serious consideration for the State over the next decade.

The Implementation Plan

The Department of Defence divided its implementation plan into five core areas. These are:

• to bring about transformational change to modernise the organisational culture of the Defence Forces (DF);
• to reform High-level Command and Control and creation of a Joint Strategic Headquarter staffed by all services;
• to reform and restructure the three services – Army, Naval Service and Air Corps;
• to revitalise the Reserve Defence Force (RDF); and
• to focus on joint capability development to provide the government with military force options for national and international operations.[9]

Three groups will be established to carry out the actual implementation of the plan. First, a high-level steering board, chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of An Taoiseach, will oversee the implementation of the High Level Action Plan. Secondly, an independently chaired Implementation Oversight Group will oversee the steering board’s progress. Thirdly, a civil/military Implementation Management Office will support the implementation of the overall transformation programme on a day-to-day basis.

The HLAP’s Recommendations

Among the recommendations of the Commission which the Government has accepted is the focus on achieving the DF’s gender parity targets. The HLAP has agreed to fully and immediately remove ‘gendered rules, regulation and standards that are unfavourable to women,’ by reviewing fitness standards for female members of the DF, and suppling ‘without delay or special request’ clothing and equipment that are designed for females.[10] The HLAP acknowledges, that, in principle, there will be a ‘guaranteed minimum female participation rate of 35% on all command and other relevant career courses by 2025’ to assist female members of the Defence Forces to advance their careers.[11] It has long been observed that female peacekeepers provide operational and tactical advantages in peacekeeping missions by being able to interact with female members of local communities more readily.[12] If implemented, this will only make the DF a stronger and more effective force, particularly in Ireland’s peacekeeping operations.

Likewise, the decision to regenerate the Reserve Defence Forces (RDF), though ambitious, will provide the Defence Forces with greater depth, as well as options in its Aid to the Civil Power/Aid to the Civil Authority (ATCP/ATCA) and Crisis Management role. At present the RDF stands at 1760 members[13] and, at this strength, its operational effectiveness is in doubt[14] The HLAP states that there should be 3,900 serving personnel in the RDF and has accepted the creation of an Air Force Reserve in principle.

Furthermore, the creation of a Joint Cyber Defence Command is a significant step in securing a domain which plays an integral role in Ireland’s security and economic prosperity. It will be staffed by 100 specialist personnel managing the state’s cyber defences,[15] and the DF will update and publish a cyber defence strategy in line with best international practice and standards.[16]

Likewise, the Government has accepted to replace the existing fleet of armoured personnel carriers, at present the Mowag Piranha IIIH APC, with a larger fleet of up-armoured APCs with enhanced firepower to provide better force-protection for Irish Forces.[17] Likewise, there will be an accelerated programme of replacing vessels within the Naval Service to ensure a balanced fleet of nine modern ships by early in the next decade with all ships double crewed to ensure that each vessel spends 220 days at sea a year at the ‘absolute minimum.’[18] The Air Corps will purchase two fixed wing aircraft with strategic reach capability to enable the Defence Forces to insert and extract troops at greater distances and reduce the DF’s reliance on partner militaries’ strategic air-lift capabilities. There will also be greater investment in developing anti-drone or counter unmanned aerial system (UAS) capabilities.

The HLAP also highlighted that the DF will acquire both Air and Maritime Radar Systems.[19] At present, Ireland is without either of these radar systems and is unable to detect aircraft with their transponders turned off when ‘flying dark’. With 75% of commercial air travel over the north Atlantic flying through or adjacent to Irish airspace, Ireland gaining the ability to see what is happening in its airspace is certainly a positive development.

Next Steps for the High Level Implementation Plan

This increase in defence expenditure with its focus on retaining experienced, committed, and capable soldiers will enable the DF to protect the State better than it could in the past. However, there are some considerations for government as it moves forward with its implementation plan.

Under the current plan, Ireland will still remain a low spender on defence relative to similar sized European States. This 50% increase in defence expenditure, while significant, is not a panacea, meaning gaps in Ireland’s defences will likely persist.

The Commission on the Defence Forces have stated that the only level of ambition that will enable the State to protect itself fully is LOA3.[20] The implementation of the CoDF’s recommendations should be done in such a way as to allow for as seamless a transition as possible to LOA3 should this or future governments choose to move to this level.

The Government has set the target for implementing the Commission’s recommendations for 2028 and will not publish a detailed implementation plan until January 2023. The present volatile geopolitical environment likely creates an imperative to ensure that delays in enhancing Ireland’s defence capabilities are minimised.

Finally, with the purchase of Air and Maritime Radar Systems, the government may consider the purchase of an air-intercept capability in line with the CoDF’s recommendations. At present, the Defence Forces will continue to rely on the UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF) to intercept potentially hostile aircraft. This may pose challenges to policing Irish airspace, particularly in potential crisis situations should the RAF be otherwise engaged and leaves potential ambiguity concerning who can authorise the use of force in Irish airspace.

However, it is certain that the HLAP and the coinciding increase in funding is a step in the right direction and will allow the Defence Forces to do more to protect the Irish state. Yet, as the Government proceeds with its implementation plan, continuing the discussion on Ireland’s defence requirements will remain of the utmost importance.