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Old 02-11-2011, 06:06 AM
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Default Para-Military Forces in Ireland

Here are a some of the other units involved in Northern Ireland:

Irish Republican Army (IRA)
The central aim of the IRA is to end British control of Northern Ireland and to achieve the reunification of the island of Ireland. From a splinter group of a small and badly equipped paramilitary grouping the 'Provisional' IRA developed into a comparatively large, well financed, well equipped guerrilla organization which has been involved in, what it calls, an 'armed campaign' for almost three decades. Recently the IRA has split into two factions, those serving Arm Na Héireann (Irish Army) as security battalions in controlled Northern Ireland and those still active in British controlled Northern Ireland.

IRA Brigades (Active in British Controlled Northern Ireland)

IRA Army Council

Belfast Brigade:
  • Active Service Unit 1
  • Active Service Unit 2
  • Active Service Unit 3

East Tyrone Brigade:
  • Active Service Unit 4

North Antrim Brigade:
  • Active Service Unit 5

South Down Brigade:
  • Active Service Unit 6

Internal Security Squad (Interrogates and executes suspected informers)

Arsenal:
  • Armalite AR-15 Assault Rifle
  • Semtex (Commercial High Explosive*)
IRA Internal Security Battalions (Serving with Irish Army in Irish Controlled Northern Ireland):
  • 1 South Armagh Battalion; formerly of the South Armagh Brigade
  • 2 North Antrim Battalion; formerly of the North Antrim Brigade
  • 3 East Tyrone Battalion; formerly of the East Tyrone Brigade
  • 4 Belfast Battalion; formerly attached to the Belfast Brigade
  • 5 Belfast Battalion; formerly attached to the Belfast Brigade
  • 6 Belfast Battalion; formerly attached to the Belfast Brigade
  • 7 Fermanagh Battalion
  • 8 Derry Battalion; formerly attached to the Derry Brigade
Arsenal:
  • AK-47 / AKM Assault Rifle
  • 7.62mm FN MAG medium machine gun
  • 12.7mmx107mm DShK heavy machine gun
  • SAM-7 anti-aircraft launcher
  • RPG-7 rocket launcher
  • Webley .455 revolver
  • LPO-50 flame thrower
The Combined Loyalist Military Command (CLMC)
The Combined Loyalist Military Command original was an umbrella body for loyalist paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland set up in the early 1990’s. Bringing together the leaderships of the Ulster Defence Association, the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Commandos, the CLMC sought to ensure that the groups would work towards the same goals. On November 10 1997, the Ulster Volunteer Force, the Ulster Defence Association, the Red Hand Commandos joined together in the Combined Loyalist Military Command, to form united front against the invading Óglaigh na hÉireann (Irish Defence Forces). The CLMC is organised in 13 companies (organized along traditional British Infantry Companies), with members often were a red beret. Its current strength is 2,000 members.

Units:
  • Belfast Company
  • Ards Company
  • Lisburn Company
  • Bainbridge Company
  • Coleraine Company
  • Ballmoney Company
  • Ballmena Company
  • Larne Company
  • Antrim Company
  • Armagh Company
  • Craigavon Company
  • North Down Company
  • Carrickfergus Company
Arsenal:
  • Czech Sa vz. 58 Assault Rifle
  • AK-47 Rifle
  • Enfield No. 2 Mk I Revolver
  • Uzi Sub-Machinegun
  • Browning Pistol
  • RGD-5 Offensive Grenade
  • RPG-7 Rocket Launcher
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary is the police force in Northern Ireland. The force has come under a lot of criticism from the nationalist community since its inception but particularly since the beginning of the conflict. The RUC had approximately 8,500 officers (The RUC Reserve was made up of 1,500 part-time and 3,200 full-time officers); almost entirely drawn from the Protestant community. Unlike the majority of police forces in the United Kingdom, the RUC is the only territorial police force that is armed, officers are issued the Ruger Security Six revolvers, and either the Heckler & Koch MP5 semi-automatic carbine, or rifles such as Heckler & Koch G3s or HK33s as well as Ruger Mini-14 select fire rifles.
RUC Special Branch
The Special Branch is formally constituted as E Department. It is organized and subdivided by function into three regions (Belfast, North and South). E1 looks after vetting of personnel, internal security, and the supply of under cover vehicles and security of communications (mail and telecommunications). E2 is the department responsible for legal liaison, the interrogation centres and SB activity in prisons. E3 collates all intelligence gathered by field operators, informers and uniformed officers. E4 is the operations division which carries out the day-to-day field work of intelligence gathering.
Headquarters Mobile Support Unit (HMSU)
The HMSU is a special unit established in 1978 by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and is the RUC equivalent of the Special Air Service (SAS). Members of the HMSU were drawn from RUC Special Branch and were trained by the SAS to on how to confront Irish Republican Army (IRA) members with 'firepower, speed and aggression'. The unit works in collaboration with the RUC intelligence gathering unit.
Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve (RUCR):
A special reserve force attached to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). The force is made up of 1,500 full-time and 3,200 part-time members.
Divisional Mobile Support Unit (DMSU)
DMSUs operate under the control of headquarters in the respective 12 Divisional Command areas. All DMSUs receive additional training from RUC/British Army specialists at the Operations Training Unit based in Palace Barracks. Back-up for DMSUs is provided from within the RUCR some of whom are formed into Shadow DMSUs.
*The IRA has always made use of 'home-made' explosives. These explosives became more sophisticated and more powerful over the years and included home-made mortars and fertilizer-based car and lorry bombs.
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Last edited by Canadian Army; 02-11-2011 at 06:12 AM.
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