Army Ranger Wing

The Army Ranger Wing (ARW, Sciathán Fiannóglach an Airm) is the special forces unit of the Irish Defence Forces.

The ARW trains and operates with many international special operations units worldwide, including the US Army Rangers, French GIGN, German GSG 9, Polish GROM, Swedish SOG, Italian COMSUBIN, Australian SAS, New Zealand SAS, and Canadian JTF2 among others.

The Army Ranger Wing is Ireland's premier hostage rescue unit, and trains closely with the specialised firearms service of An Garda Síochána (known as the Emergency Response Unit or ERU). In any major hostage incident, the Ranger Wing could be requested to support the ERU.

History
In the late 1960s and early 1970s a small number of Irish Defence Forces personnel attended the United States Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia. On their return, these personnel organised similar courses with the goal of bringing standards of training throughout the Irish Defence Forces into line with accepted international standards. The first course was conducted in the Military College in the Curragh Army Camp in 1969 with 12 officer students. Students on these courses were selected from among all ranks and units of the Army, Air Corps and the Naval Service and covered physical endurance, marksmanship, individual military skills and small unit tactics.

Formalising these standards and creation of the Army Ranger Wing resulted from the increase in international terrorism in the late 1970s and 1980s. The increased skills and endurance training of 'Ranger'-trained personnel provided the basis for the creation of a new specialist unit to counter these threats. The Army Ranger Wing (ARW) was formally established, in accordance with the Defence Act, by Government order on 16 March 1980. Their first official mission was to be deployed into Somalia, providing protection for convoys.

Name
The unit's official name is "Sciathán Fiannóglach an Airm", which roughly translates into English as "Army Ranger Wing".

"Fiannóglach" (representing "Ranger") is an amalgamation of two words. "Fiann" is closest to the English word "warrior", and refers to the ancient band of warriors known as Na Fianna in Irish Mythology. "Óglach" (or "óg laoch") literally means "young soldier" and is often translated as "volunteer". Use in this context refers to the name of the Defence Forces in Irish: Óglaigh na hÉireann ("Irish Volunteers"). Na Fianna were purportedly expert warriors, so the addition of the word Fian- before Oglaigh denotes an elite element to the wing.

Roles
The ARW has a wide variety of roles, covering conventional warfare, anti-terrorist warfare, and training for the Defence Forces including:


 * Offensive operations behind enemy lines, e.g. securing of vital objectives, long range patrolling, raids, ambushes, sabotage, capture of key personnel, diversionary operations, delay operations, intelligence gathering.
 * Defensive operations, e.g. VIP protection, counter-insurgency.
 * Specialist aid to the civil power (anti-terrorist tasks), anti-hijacking operations, bus, plane, train, ferry hostage rescue operations.
 * Standards, e.g. testing and evaluation of military equipment, conducting specialist courses.
 * Returning highly skilled personnel to the Defence Forces on completion of service in the ARW.

Training and selection
Selection for the ranger wing lasts 4 weeks ( 3 weeks selection 1 week psychology training ), plus on success of completion, another 6 months continuation where basic skills such as LRRP, parachuting are taught – which takes place annually, usually in October. Course candidates must be serving members of the Defence Forces, but are not subject to an age limit. The 3-week course is organised into 2 distinct phases. Selection is open to females, although none have passed the initial training course. Any and all serving personnel from the three branches of the Irish military are allowed to enter.

In the first phase, instructors demonstrate the basic requirements to become a Ranger and candidates must pass a number of initial physical tests – including: water confidence training, assault course training, individual navigation tests as well as a 10 km combat run test. If a candidate fails more than 3 out of the 9 basic tests they are returned to their home unit. A selection course may only be attempted three times by any candidate.

In the second phase, candidates are taught special forces tactics such as long range reconnaissance patrolling, surveillance, intelligence gathering, search tactics, and ambush organisation. The course culminates in a 45 km group march which must be completed in a set time.

In all, candidates must complete assessment in the following areas:
 * Abseiling – Assesses a student's confidence when working at height.
 * Bridge jump – Tests confidence in water.
 * River crossing – Evaluates ability to work in a team.
 * Claustrophobia – Tests a student's ability to work with their equipment in confined spaces.
 * Gym tests – Assesses muscular endurance and strength while performing a set number of exercises.
 * 10 km run – Tests cardiovascular endurance over a set distance and time.
 * Mountain walk – Tests endurance over a set uphill march, while carrying a medium load.
 * Hill circuit – Assesses stamina and strength over a set cross-country course, while carrying a light load.
 * Forced march "cross-country" – Assesses stamina and strength over a set cross-country course and time while carrying a medium load around 15 kg.distance is 25km
 * Forced march "road" – A group test to assess the student's tolerance of pressure over a set course and time, while carrying a medium load, the distance is between 35–40 km.
 * Route march – A group test to assess overall stamina, endurance and strength during a forced march over the mountains while carrying a medium load.

Of the 40 to 80 candidates that start the annual Ranger selection course, only 15% remain at the conclusion. All candidates who successfully complete the Ranger course are presented with the Fianóglach shoulder flash.

If a student passes selection at this stage, they are sent on a further six-month ranger skills course. This course includes long range reconnaissance and survival training, unarmed combat, counter-terrorism, close protection, advanced driving, combat diving, boat handling, sniping, explosive intervention, advance navigation, and close quarters combat skills, advanced first aid, advanced combat shooting and parachuting. Upon passing this selection course and probationary period they then earn the right to wear the prestigious Green beret. Some parts of the combat diving training course are done under the supervision of the Naval Service's Naval Service Diving Section.

The ARW also has its own purpose built tactical training facility, including "shoot houses", training ranges and various urban settings. The facility is known as "Tac town".

Command and communications
The Officer Commanding the Army Ranger Wing is responsible for the administrative, disciplinary and operational control of the unit, and is in turn directly under the command of The Chief of Staff at Defence Forces HQ. The Army Ranger Wing is on immediate call for operations throughout the state.

The ARW is equipped with state-of-the-art ITT SINCGAR, Racal and Harris communications equipment, all of which have an inbuilt encryption and frequency hopping systems. It is also equipped with satellite communications.

Missions
The Army Rangers have seen active service in a number of peacekeeping missions around the world with the UN and EU and PfP.

Liberia
The ARW was deployed in Liberia following the Second Liberian Civil War as part of a peace-keeping contingent of more than 400 troops from the Irish Defence Forces, in turn part of the mixed Irish/Swedish Force Reserve Battalion of the United Nations mission in the country, UNMIL.

One of their most successful missions during this deployment was the rescue of a group of civilians captured by gunmen from renegade Liberian forces. Acting on intelligence, twenty heavily armed Rangers were dropped by helicopter at the town of Gbapa. To avoid casualties among the hostages, the Rangers implemented a policy of non-lethal intervention and, after surrounding a 40-foot container holding the 35 hostages, rescued them and captured the rebel commander. The incident, which resulted in no Irish casualties, boosted the reputation of the Irish Defence Forces.

One Ranger, Sergeant Derek Mooney of Dublin, was killed when his Land Rover was involved in a road accident.

East Timor
In 1999, Dáil Éireann voted to send the ARW to serve with the United Nations International Force, East Timor (INTERFET). Mandated under a UN Security Council resolution, INTERFET was a peacekeeping force deployed to restore security in the region, support and protect the UN Mission in East Timor, and to facilitate humanitarian assistance operations. The detachment of 30 ARW personnel was involved in peacekeeping duties with Canadian and New Zealand troops near the West Timor border.

Chad
An ARW force of 54 was deployed in 2008 in Chad as part of the peacekeeping European Union Force (EUFOR TCHAD/RCA). The ARW arrived on 19 February 2008 and completed reconnaissance missions to select a mission base for the Irish Defence Force deployment (later named "Camp Ciara").

Weapons
In addition to standard issue weapons of the Irish Defence Forces, weapons used by the ARW include:

Squad weapons

 * Pistols
 * SIG P228
 * SIG P226
 * Walther PPK
 * HK USP
 * Combat Shotguns
 * Benelli M3T Tactical
 * Benelli M4 Super 90
 * Franchi SPAS-12
 * Remington 870
 * Assault rifles and Carbines
 * Steyr AUG A1
 * Steyr AUG A3
 * HK33/SG1
 * Heckler & Koch HK53
 * Heckler & Koch HK416
 * Submachine guns
 * Heckler & Koch MP5 – Including MP5A3, MP5SD6, MP5F and MP5K variants
 * Heckler & Koch MP7
 * FN P90
 * Sniper rifles
 * Heckler & Koch HK417
 * Accuracy International PM/L96 – Including L115 (.338), AI96 (.308), and AW50 anti-materiel variants
 * Steyr SSG 69
 * Light machine guns
 * FN Minimi Para

Support weapons

 * Denel Land Systems M1 60mm commando mortar
 * Carl Gustav 84mm recoilless rifle – Including M2 and M3 variants
 * AT4
 * Raytheon Javelin Anti-tank guided missile
 * M203 grenade launcher

Vehicle-mounted weapons

 * FN 7.62mm GPMG
 * Browning M2 heavy machinegun .50cal
 * Heckler & Koch GMG 40mm automatic grenade launcher

Specialised equipment

 * Ford F350 (modified as Special Reconnaissance Vehicle)
 * Land Rover Range Rovers (modified for Counter Terrorist duties)
 * Nissan Navara (Tactical Assault Vehicle)
 * Yamaha 660 All-terrain vehicles
 * KTM motorcycles
 * Suzuki DR-350 and DR-Z400 motorbikes
 * Dräger LAV-7 Rebreather
 * Klepper MK13 canoe
 * Combat Rubber Raiding Craft
 * Rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RIBs) (Delta 7-metre, Lencraft 5.1 metre dive, and Lencraft 7.5&6.5-metre intruder RIBs)