This book aids any researcher, policymakers and military personnel in researching small states and militaries, European defence and security policy, as well as contemporary and emerging threats. This edited collection gathers academic commentators on Irish defence policy, military leaders from across the service components of the Irish Defence Forces and European defence experts to contribute to the first in-depth conversation and analysis on modern Irish defence and its application within the European Union. The aim of this edited book is to ascertain what capabilities are robust, which are lacking, what future threats need to be catered for, and what action is needed to ensure those threats will be addressed going forward. This book will explore emerging issues and applications of modern and contemporary threats within the context of Ireland, Europe and Western institutions. We have invited submissions from scholars, commentators, policymakers and military practitioners to evaluate the Irish Defence Forces and to illustrate the complexities facing small nations in formulating and resourcing defence and national security policy.
Author(s): Jonathan Carroll, Matthew G. O'Neill, Mark Williams
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 446
City: Cham
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part I: Defence Forces Capabilities and The Threat Environment
Part II: The Reserve Defence Forces
Part III: Peacekeeping Operations
Part IV: Cyber Security in the Digital Age
Part V: Defence Forces Institutional Innovation and Civil–Military Relations
Part VI: The Principle of Irish Neutrality
Contents
List of Contributors
List of Figures
List of Tables
Defence Forces Capabilities & The Threat Environment
Ensuring the Jungle Doesn’t Grow Back: The Obligations Inherent to Irish Defence Policy
Introduction
Ireland’s Geographical Location and Jurisdiction: Where the State Exercises Sovereignty, Has Sovereign Rights, Duties, and Obligations
Maritime Jurisdiction and Responsibilities
Air Domain Jurisdiction and Responsibilities
Space Domain
Cyber Domain
Irelands Multilateral Responsibilities
The Current Security Environment from National, Regional, and Global Perspectives
Multilateral Framework, National Interests, and Implications for the Defence Forces
Ireland the EU and Strategic Autonomy
Ireland and Neutrality
Prospects of a Policy-Strategy Match
Defence Policy
Defence Expenditure and Resourcing
Governance
Capabilities
Capability Gap Matrix
Risk
Conclusion
A Brigade Commander’s Perspective: “Oglaigh na hEireann Has Been the People, Is the People, and Will Be the People”
The Recent Past
Why Do We Need to Spend on Defence?
The General Officer Commanding’s Challenge
Defence Forces Engagement with EU Partners
The Future
Disconnect and Mismatch: The Intellectual Formation of Irish Defence Policy and Practice
Situation—The Threat Assessment and Ireland’s 2015 White Paper on Defence
Disconnect—Ireland’s White Paper on Defence: Update 2019
The Perfect Storm—Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail
The Solution
Conclusion
The Irish Naval Service: The Burden of the Minimalist Approach
Introduction
On the Irish Naval Service
The Minimalist Approach to Maritime Security
Where the Naval Service Has Come From
An Islanders Perspective
What the Naval Service Does for Ireland
The Naval Service Today
Conclusion
Small Navies: Lessons for the Irish Naval Service
Changes in the Strategic Environment and the Need for Increased Flexibility
Operational Solutions for Small Navies
Conclusion
Irish Air Corps: Towards 2052
The Past Drives the Present into the Future
Policy Context
The Only Constant Is Change
Conventional Needs
Cost Misconceptions
Many Services, One Defence Forces
Space and Time
Space Vulnerability, New Entrants and Drones
The IAC and the Drone
Accommodating New Entrants
Accessing the Airspace
Enabling Change
Conclusion
The Reserve Defence Forces
Revitalizing the Irish Army Reserve Post-Commission on the Defence Forces: Moving from the Single Force Concept to a Total Force Policy
Introduction
The Argument
The Role of the Army Reserve in Irish Defence
Consistently Doing the Same Thing (Poorly)
Fulfilling the Commission’s Aspirations: De-coupling the Reserve from the Regular Army Force Structure
The Army Reserve Surge Brigade
The Army Reserve Combat Support Brigade
The Army Reserve Combat Service Support Brigade
Integrated Reservists
Unit Tiering
Benefits of the New Force Structure: A Genuine “Single Defence Force”
Command and Staff Arrangements
Operational Benefits
Strategic Benefits
Skills Retention Benefits
Policy Recommendations: Transitioning to a Total Force Policy Reserve
Conclusion: Why Bother Revitalizing the Reserve?
The Army Reserve: The Force-Multiplier for Irish Defence
Introduction
Understanding the Present
Developing a Future Reserve
Army Reserve (Integrated)
Army Reserve (Support)
Army Reserve (Specialists)
The Army Reserve as a Force-Multiplier
Learning from the Past
The Need for Incentives
The Need for Adequate Funding
‘Volunteer’ Status and Civilian Employment
The Benefits of Proper Integration
Targeted and Reasonable Goals
Acknowledging Reserve Specialists as Specialists
Leadership
Conclusion
Ireland’s Naval Service Reserve: An Analysis of Current Capabilities and Role for the Future
Introduction
Legislative Basis
Weathering the Storm: Current Capabilities and Challenges
The Horizon: Future Threats and Potential Roles
Threat Environment
Conclusion: Forecasting or Foreboding?
Peacekeeping Operations
Decolonisation, Conflict and Independence: The Impact of History on Ireland’s Approach to Peacekeeping
Introduction
Irish History and Peacekeeping Literature
Strategic Culture
That Which Surrounds
Decolonisation
Independence
Conflict
That Which Weaves Together
The Peacekeeping Tradition
The History of the Future
Conclusion
Ireland’s Largest Peacekeeping Mission—The Irish Defence Forces in UNIFIL
The Origins of UNIFIL
The Irish Defence Forces in UNIFIL: Traditional Peacekeeping, 1978–2001
The Irish Defence Forces in UNIFIL: Expeditionary Peacekeeping, 2006–Present
The Impact and Significance of the Irish Defence Forces Service with UNIFIL
Peacekeeping in the Digital Age: Future Threats and Capability Requirements
Introduction
The Changing Conflict Environment and the Evolving Role of Technology
Threats and Opportunities for Peace Operations
Policy Developments
Threats
Opportunities
Challenges
Implications for Troop- and Police-Contributing Countries
Capabilities, Training and Organisational Culture
Technology and Equipment
The Road Ahead
Cyber Security in the Digital Age
The Digital Transformation of UN Peacekeeping and the Role of the Irish Defence Forces
Introduction
Digital Technologies and the Changing Conflict Environment
UN Policy Developments
The Challenge Digital Technologies Pose for Peace Operations
The Opportunities Digital Technologies Present for Peace Operations
The Opportunities Digital Technologies Present for the Defence Forces
Conclusion
Cyber Resilience for Europe’s Armed Forces in the Twenty-First Century: A German Perspective
Introduction
Digitalisation in the Context of Security Policy
Opportunities of Digitalisation
New and Disruptive Technologies
Digitalisation in the Bundeswehr
The Challenge of Cyber Security
Responsible Use of New and Disruptive Technologies
The Cyber and Information Domain in the Bundeswehr
Resilience Through Digital Sovereignty
Trustworthy IT
Key Technologies
Core Command Capability
Capacity for Innovation
Digital Competence
Conclusion
The Irish Defence Forces in the Drone Age
Introduction
The Drone Age Landscape
Loitering Munitions
Swarming
Violent Non-State Actors
Uncrewed Ground Vehicles
Uncrewed Underwater and Surface Vehicles
Challenges and Opportunities Facing the Irish Defence Forces
Defence Forces’ Uncrewed Vehicles
Opportunities for All Services of the Defence Forces
Dilemmas
Conclusion
Defence Forces Institutional Innovation and Civil-Military Relations
A Research, Technology and Innovation Capability for the Defence Organisation
Introduction
Threat Environment
What is RTI for Defence?
Defence Research, Technology & Innovation Capability
The RTI Capability Structure
Developing the RTI Capability
Benefits of RTI
Challenges Ahead for RTI
Joint Working Opportunities
The Road Ahead
Shared Norms but Policy Incoherence: Analysing the Irish Defence Forces’ Marketplace Aspirations
Introduction
The Problem of Top-Cover
Common Norms, Competing Standpoints
The Interaction of Norms and Institutions
Corroborating Norm and Institutional Influence
Conclusion
Ireland and the Citizens in Uniform
Introduction
The Genesis for Military Representation in Ireland
Frustration, Negotiation, and Representation
Military Representation as a Threat to National Security
Changing Lives, and the Future
Affiliation to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
Permanent Pay Review Body
Conclusion
The Principle of Irish Neutrality
Ireland, NATO and “the Return of Geopolitics” in Europe
Introduction
Ireland and NATO: Complicated Relations
Hybrid Interference and Transnational Security
Transnational Geopolitics and Cyber Security
Airspace Violations and Insecurity
Maritime Security in the North Atlantic
Conclusion
Irish Military Neutrality: A Historical Perspective for Modern Consideration
Introduction
Neutrality as Necessity (1923–1939)
Origins and Policy
The Report of the Army Organisation Board
Neutrality as Expediency (1939–1955)
The Emergency
18th Military Mission
After the War
Neutrality as Convenience (1955–Present)
Irish Neutrality in the Modern Era
Conclusion
Generating More Heat Than Light? The Debate Over Ireland’s Neutrality and the “European Army”
EEC and NATO
Defending Europe?
EEC Membership
“New Cold War”
European Integration
Partnership for Peace
“European army”?
Europe “worth defending”
Neutrality—A Considered Policy?
Conclusion
Index
