Irish Naval Service Update - often forgotten by UK observers is the Irish Navy working off our West Coast.  With new ships building at Appledore the Irish Naval Service comprises currently eight (8) offshore patrol vessels all named with traditional Irish female names, taken from history and Celtic mythology.   The ship prefix LÉ stands for Long Eireannach "Irish ship" :-

Offshore/Helicopter Patrol Vessel

LÉ EITHNE       P31        1984      84.8m   (Flagship)

Offshore Patrol Vessels

LÉ EMER           P21        1978      65.2m   To Be Replaced by Appledore Newbuilding 2014

LÉ AOIFE         P22       1979      65.2m   To Be Replaced by Appledore Newbuilding 2015

LÉ AISLING     P23       1980      65.2m   There is an option for a third vessel from Appledore

LÉ ORLA           P41        1985      62.6m    Ex Royal Navy PEACOCK Class

LÉ CIARA         P42       1989      62.6m    Ex Royal Navy PEACOCK Class

LÉ ROISIN       P51        1999      78.8m

LÉ NIAMH        P52       2001      78.8m

The Irish Naval Service also operates smaller training vessels and inflatable sea going craft.   Air assets are provided by the Air Corps, such as the two CASA CN-235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft operated from Baldonell Aerodrome (County Dublin).    Search and Rescue helicopters are operated under contract and are crewed and maintained by the Irish Coast Guard.   Naval bases are at Cork (Headquarters) with  Reserve stations at Dublin, Limerick, Waterford and Cork with manpower currently quoted at 1,444 including approximately 400 Reserves.   Non-Military training takes place alongside Mercantile Marine personnel at the National Maritime College of Ireland in Ringaskiddy, adjacent to the Haulbowline (Cork) base.     The Naval Service also has a specialist diving unit called the Naval Service Diving Section, among the tasks mandated to this unit are:

            Search and Recovery                     Underwater Survey                  Explosive Ordnance Disposal

            Underwater Engineering               Military Diving Training

The Irish Navy is also looking at purchasing a "multi-role vessel" of up to 130 metres long and costing in the region of some € 90 Million. This is presumably to replace LÉ EITHNE, and is intended to allow for improved supply of overseas UN missions and to contribute more capability to the Nordic Battle Group which the Irish Naval Service is part of. The Nordic Battle Group is made up of contributions from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Ireland and Estonia.     Leading contenders for the MRV design include the Danish Abslon class flexible support ship and a version of the German Navy MEKO 200 design.