Army’s elite special forces unit to be overhauled in major revamp

The Army Ranger Wing (ARW), the most elite and secretive unit of the Defence Forces, is to undertake its largest expansion and restructuring in its 43-year history.

The most visible change will be a new name: Ireland Special Operations Force or IRL-SOF for short.

But behind the scenes it is understood that there will be dramatic changes to its command-and-control structure, making it a central part of military decision making and, as a result, more likely to be deployed on missions on and off island.

The changes mirror those in other western militaries which have increased the size of their special operations forces while also granting them more autonomy and status.

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This is in response to the increased terror threat caused by conflict in the Middle East and a belief that, in the future, overseas military operations will require smaller and more specialised forces.

One of the first steps for the Defence Forces will be restructuring the ARW into three separate units dedicated to specific tasks. The land unit, which will be known as Special Operations Land Task Group (SOLTG), will be the direct successor to the ARW and, as the name suggests, will be focused on land-based operations such as special reconnaissance and hostage rescue.

Despite the rebrand, SOLTG is likely to retain the same ethos and traditions as the ARW, including the distinctive green beret worn by members and the Fianóglach, meaning Ranger, shoulder flash insignia.

A dedicated unit specialising in parachuting and fast roping will be known the Air Task Group (ATG) and will be permanently based in Air Corps headquarters in Baldonnel in west Dublin for rapid deployment.

Similarly, a maritime unit which will focus on missions similar to last September’s interception of the MV Matthew bulk cargo ship that was found to be carrying a record 2.2 tonnes of cocaine.

The complex interception, officially know Operation Piano, saw ARW personnel fast rope from a helicopter on to the moving ship before seizing control of the bridge and subduing the crew.

The unit, which will be known as the Maritime Task Group, will also focus on combat diving and will be permanently posted at the Naval Service base in Haulbowline, Co Cork.

This will formalise and reinforce the current arrangement that sees the ARW divided in small subgroups which specialise in specific tasks.

The three units will be collectively known as IRL-SOF and will report to a Directorate of Special Operations, likely led by a Colonel, which will be based in Defence Forces headquarters. The creation of the directorate will mean, unlike the current situation, special forces officers will have a direct input into military planning.

On the ground, the revamped ARW will be commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. It is currently commanded by a commandant, a more junior rank.

One of the most pressing tasks is expanding the size of the ARW without dropping the standards it sets for members.

The 2015 White Paper on Defence committed to significantly increasing the unit’s size. Eight years later that process is now motion. Legislative changes are expected to be drafted soon to allow the unit to increase in size and to make it easier to deploy abroad on missions.

It is understood military management is satisfied there are enough ARW “operators”, the term for the unit’s frontline troops who undergo the most rigorous selection and training courses.

The exact numbers are a closely guarded secret, but it is believed there are several dozen operators at any one time. Each year, no more than a handful pass selection.

There is a more pressing need for support personnel such as drivers, communications specialists and fire support teams. Known as “supporters and enablers”, these are personnel who have demonstrated extremely high standards in their area of expertise but who do not need to be trained up to the standard of an operator.

Western military doctrine states there should be up to three “supporters and enablers” for every operator. Work is now under way to devise a new selection course for these personnel to allow them be permanently attached to the special forces unit.

It is hoped in time, these personnel will rotate back to their old units, bringing their new special operations skills with them and raising the standard of the Defence Forces in general. This was one of the main objectives of the ARW when it was established in 1982.

Recruitment will be helped by an adjudication earlier this year significantly raising allowances for ARW personnel following a lengthy dispute with the Department of Defence.

It will be aided by plans for new infrastructure and equipment, including a dedicated ARW headquarters in the Curragh Camp in Kildare planned for 2024. In recent years, a new selection regime – devised and supervised by sports scientists – has been rolled out which has dramatically reduced injury rates.

All of these reforms are part of the broader goal of revitalising and expanding the Defence Forces which is undergoing one of the worst manpower crises in its 100-year history. It has less than 8,000 personnel across all three branches, 1,500 below its establishment strength.

The goal is to get it to 11,500 by 2028. Military management sees the expansion of the ARW as key to this goal because, as well as providing a special operations capability, the unit is a valuable recruiting tool for soldiers given the elite nature of the unit.