Cutbacks will not affect Defence Forces in a security crisis, says Chief of Staff

REORGANISATION and reductions in the size of the Defence Forces will not affect their capacity to deal with a security crisis…

REORGANISATION and reductions in the size of the Defence Forces will not affect their capacity to deal with a security crisis, the Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Gerry McMahon, has stated.

Introducing the Government's plans to reduce the De fence Forces' overall size and introduce a new brigade structure, Lt Gen McMahon said yesterday he was convinced the Defence Forces would cope with any security crisis arising from the situation in Northern Ireland.

He said unlike the British army, the Defence Forces had not reduced their Border garrison. The two helicopters based at the Border had been tasked to support gardai in anti crime operations but one of these aircraft had been directed back to the Border.

In addition, a bomb disposal team which had been moved since the ceasefire had been made ready and was "on call" for duty at the Border, if required.

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He said "I would also say that the whole plan is designed to try to make fuller units with more `teeth' and less in the `tail'."

A reduction in the size of the Defence Forces from almost 13,000 to around 11,500 members and a change in its structure from a five brigade to a three brigade model were to be implemented over the next three years.

The Government is providing funding for a "voluntary early retirement" scheme, providing £1.3 million in the coming year, to induce soldiers to leave early.

It is hoped that 2,300 soldiers will take the redundancy payments. This would make it possible to recruit 1,000 new personnel. This, in turn, would reduce the age profile of the Defence Forces, which have an average age of 32, making them one of the world's most experienced defence forces.

Simultaneously, the command structure is to be rearranged.

Probably the most extensive reorganisation takes place in the Defence Forces' logistics structures.

The plan is for a single Logistics Corps eradicating "unnecessary procedures and processes and using computerised systems.

Each of the three brigades, the Air Corps and Naval Service, will have its own logistics system and structure allowing each to support units operating independently.

This compression of the logistics base has been criticised privately by some soldiers. They say a large number of logistics support units, including the Infantry Corps, Artillery, Cavalry, Engineer, Signals, Ordnance, Supply and Transport Corps, Military Police and Medical Corps, will be broken up and relocated in a single Logistics Corps.

Further reviews of the Naval Service and Air Corps are to be undertaken. The Government proposal to expand the role of both these services is clearly in conflict with management consultants' proposals to reduce the size of both the Air Corps and Naval Service.

The review of both these Services has, effectively, been referred back to consultants.

There was no indication yesterday that any funds will be able for a substantial increase in "capital" expenditure on things like new ships and aircraft, while the voluntary redundancy programme is being paid for.

In recent years, there have been a number of statements from Government about the desire to increase the mobility and aerial capability of the Defence Forces.

In the Air Corps the Marchetti, Fouga and Cessna fixed wing planes are between 18 and 24 years old. The eight Alouette helicopters are 32 years old.

The main infantry weapon, the Steyr rifle, is regarded as one of the best modern rifles. However, some of the weapons in service with the Defence Forces are of second World War World War vintage.

The Army's armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are between 18 and 25 years old. The serviceability of much of the Defence Forces weapons is due entirely to the skills and experience of the military armourers, artillery and ordnance personnel.

All seven Naval Service vessels are also elderly the most modern is 10 years old and destined to be decommissioned between 2002 and 2015.

The Government has increased the duties of the Naval Service by increasing the scope of the fishery protection role and including drugs interdiction without any increase in the size of the naval fleet.