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Defence Forces

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 May 2021

Thursday, 13 May 2021

Questions (293)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

293. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the extent to which the upgrading and or replacing of military equipment is expected to take place within the Army in the course of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25474/21]

View answer

Written answers

My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service, is maintained to the greatest extent possible so as to enable the Defence Forces to carry out their roles as assigned by Government, including overseas deployments.

The Equipment Development Plan (EDP) published in June 2020, completed through extensive joint civil-military work, provides a comprehensive list of planned equipment projects which will be progressed over five years. This plan builds on the intentions set out in the White Paper in relation to equipment acquisition, modernisation and upgrade and has been developed to ensure that our Defence Forces have the major equipment platforms, ancillary equipment and force protection equipment to carry out their important roles both at home and overseas. The current position regarding the major equipment platform projects is as follows.

The mid-life upgrade of the Army’s fleet of 80 General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) Mowag Piranha III armoured personnel carrier vehicles is well underway. This programme is on-going and continues to command significant resources and commitment of effort. The vehicle, which is the backbone of Defence Forces armoured capability, has been well proven in all its roles since the first vehicles were introduced in 2001. By end-2020, some 47 vehicles have been upgraded including modernisation of protection systems and weapons. The overall programme is due to be completed by 2023. In addition, an order for 28 Armoured Utility Vehicles AUVs was recently placed with Centigon, a French company, and these will provide a level of protected mobility between the levels of soft-skinned light transport and heavier armoured vehicles. Delivery of these vehicles is expected to complete in 2021.

With regard to Defence Forces communications systems, there is continued investment in the development of suitable network enabled communications in order to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex operational environment. In July of 2020 a tender competition was commenced for the supply of Software Defined Radios to the Defence Forces and the competition is currently underway. The scope of the project consists of two main requirements; Personal Soldier Radios and Multi-Band Handheld, Manpack, Vehicular and Airborne radios. Given the complexity of the requirements, the procurement process is on-going and is comprehensive in nature with the first radios not expected to enter service before 2023.

There is also continuous investment in the non-armoured vehicle fleet. In 2019, a contract was signed with Toyota Ireland for the replacement of the Army's fleet of 3/4 tonne 4X4 vehicles, the first of which entered service in early 2020. In March of last year, a tender process was completed for the supply of one hundred and twenty (120) new 4X4 Troop Carrying Vehicles, with the award of a contract to Westward Scania, based in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon. The first vehicles arrived in Mar-Apr of 2021 with delivery of all 120 vehicles concluding by 2023. Funding is provided on an on-going basis for the required maintenance of vehicles in the military transport fleet, both at home and overseas.

The examples given, whilst not exhaustive, demonstrate my commitment to update and upgrade the Defence Forces equipment and capability, within the financial envelope available. The National Development Plan provides for a total of €541 million for Defence over the period 2018-2022. Budget 2021 provides for a further increased gross allocation to €131m in the defence capital budget in respect of equipment and barracks infrastructure. This level of capital funding will allow the Defence Organisation to undertake a programme of sustained equipment replacement and infrastructural development across the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service as identified and prioritised in the Defence White Paper and builds on the significant investment programme over recent years.

I am satisfied that the Defence Forces have the necessary modern and effective range of equipment available to them which is in line with best international standards in order to fulfil all roles assigned to them by Government.

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