Defence Forces Organisation
The Defence Forces are organised on conventional military lines providing a sufficiently flexible structure to carry out all the roles assigned by Government. The Defence Forces consist of a Permanent Defence Force (PDF) and a Reserve Defence Force (RDF). The former is a standing force and provides the primary capabilities for joint military operations at home and combined military peace support operations abroad. The RDF provides the necessary contingent conventional military capability to augment and assist the PDF, when necessary.
Defence Forces’ Headquarters acts as the strategic headquarters for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service, and as the operational controlling headquarters for the Army.
Key Leaders
Key Leaders for the Defence Forces are Minister for Defence, Mr Tony Killeen T.D. , the Secretary General of the Department of Defence, Mr Michael Howard and the Defence Forces Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Sean McCann.
Permanent Defence Force
The Permanent Defence Force consists of an Army, an Air Corps and a Naval Service.
Army
The Army is structured into three all-arms brigades, consisting of
combat, combat support and combat service support elements.
Each brigade is designated a territorial area of responsibility,
specific garrison locations and a recruitment area.
The Defence Forces’ Training Centre (DFTC) and Defence Forces’ Logistics Base at the Curragh Camp support the training and logistics functions for the Permanent and the Reserve Defence Force.
Naval Service
The Naval Service, based in Haulbowline, Co. Cork, has a flotilla of
eight ships, a headquarters, an operations command, a logistical
support command and a Naval Service College.
The flotilla consists of a helicopter patrol vessel squadron, large patrol vessel squadron and an offshore patrol vessel squadron. The support command is responsible for personnel and all logistical, engineering, and maintenance functions.
Air Corps
The Air Corps, based at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, consists of a headquarters, two operational wings, two support wings, an Air Corps Training College, and a Communication and Information Services Squadron.
The operational wings consist of a training/light strike squadron; helicopter squadrons; a maritime squadron; a transport squadron and a fixed wing reconnaissance squadron. The support wings are tasked with specialist maintenance of the aircraft fleet.
Reserve Defence Force
The Reserve Defence Force mirrors the Permanent Defence Force (PDF). Units are rationalised and amalgamated to facilitate this structure. The RDF is organised into the First Line Reserve and a Second Line Reserve. The First Line Reserve comprises of former members of the Permanent Defence Force and the Second Line Reserve comprises an Army Reserve and a Naval Service Reserve.
Army Reserve
The Army Reserve is organised into integrated and non-integrated
elements. In total, there are nine reserve infantry
battalions and eighteen combat support and combat service
support units, with three air defence batteries. A reserve brigade
headquarters is also established in each PDF brigade area.
Naval Service Reserve
The Naval Service Reserve is divided into two groups known
as the Eastern Reserve Group and the Southern Reserve Group.
Each group consists of two companies: Dublin and Waterford in the Eastern Reserve Group and Cork and Limerick companies in the Southern Reserve Group.