The Ordnance Corps has both an operational and a logistical role within the Defence Forces. The logistical role of the Ordnance Corps is to provide technical support to the Defence Forces for the Procurement, Storage, Distribution, Inspection, Maintenance, Repair and Disposal of all items of Ordnance related equipment. The operational role of the Ordnance Corps is to train personnel for and provide the State’s EOD/IEDD capability.
Corps Activities
The seven logistical taskings of the Ordnance Corps Procurement, Storage, Distribution, Inspection, Maintenance, Repair and Disposal, encompass a spectrum of equipment ranging from anti-aircraft missiles and naval armament to the uniforms worn by military personnel. The Ordnance Corps is also responsible for the procurement of food and provision of commercial catering services. With all items of ordnance related equipment the Ordnance Corps are involved in its full life span within the Defence Forces from a logistical stand point cradle to grave. These seven logistical taskings are of a technical nature and the corps personnel are appropriately qualified and with the expertise to afford technical evaluation of complete ordnance systems as well as its component parts and its ancillary equipment.
The Ordnance Corps provide the only Explosive Ordnance Disposal service within the state, in support of An Garda Síochána in an ATCP role. The Ordnance Corps also provides the Defence Forces EOD capability across its full spectrum of operations. Having a long history of IEDD, the personnel of the Ordnance Corps have been to the fore in instructing personnel in all aspects of the C-IED effort. This has included briefings and training of personnel deploying overseas and recently all personnel on career courses.
The Ordnance Corps provide a number of key personnel to units of the Defence Forces as requested. An Armourer is a technician responsible for the inspection, maintenance and repair of all Infantry Battalion weapons and associated equipment. This includes all small arms i.e. pistols, rifles, machine guns, recoilless weapons, mortars, grenade launchers, their associated turrets and mounting systems, personal protective equipment, load carrying equipment and field catering kitchens. An Armament Artificer is a technician responsible for the inspection, maintenance and repair of all combat support weapon systems. This includes all Cavalry, Artillery, Air Defence and Naval Armaments in both the direct and indirect fire roles such as the 105mm Light Gun L118 & L119, L70 40mm Anti-Aircraft Artillery and Oto Melara 76mm Naval Gun.
Owing to the expertise within the Ordnance Corps in relation to material science and engineering, the Ordnance Corps is involved in the procurement of any armoured vehicles or related armoured protection the Defence Forces are involved with. The Ordnance Corps has been responsible for the testing and validation of DF armour systems and its integration to vehicle platforms as well as Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). All armour materials in service are tested against best international military standards (NATO STANAG 4569), including the BAE RG32M.
Overseas
An Ordnance section travels with every overseas company sized troop mission, the composition of which is mission specific. These personnel are normally part of the logistical unit. In certain missions the Ordnance section may also provide a specific EOD capability e.g. Lebanon, Kosovo, Liberia and Chad.
