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Old 12-08-2009, 07:54 AM
RN7 RN7 is offline
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First, it will be composed of 13.000 regular troops and 16.000 reservists. They will compose 4 infantry brigades including 11 infantry battalions, 1 Ranger company, 1 Tank squadron, 1 Recce squadron, 3 artillery regiment, 1 independent battery, 1 air-defense regiment and 3 engineer companies.
On paper! But in the period covering the Twilight War period the Republic of Ireland's land forces amounted to 14x Scorpion Tanks, 19x AML-90 and 32x AML-60, and 24x AML-20 armoured cars, 70x APC's, 60x artillery guns (including 48x 88mm guns dating from the 1930's), and 21 Milan AT missiles (and thats debatable).


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Second they will mobilize the Forsa Cosanta Aituil (FCA) that will bring 22.000 more troops. That represent 18 infantry battalion, six artillery regiments, 3 armoured cavalry squadrons, 3 engineer squadrons and 3 air-defense batteries.
The FCA is the Irish reserve, you have double counted it, and its armoured cavalry squadrons have no armoured vehicles in the real sense of the word, while its artillery regiments would be equipped with a few mortars if they are lucky.


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Their equipement is not that heavy alright but so is the equipment of the British. In addition Scorpion and AML-60/90 will represent a serious threat. Carl Gustav and Milan will match these of the British. Artillery is partly outdated with 25-pdr but much of it is equipped with light gun and that is much better than anything in British hands.
Their the worst equipped army in Europe and Ireland's light skinned Scorpion and AML's would have no chance against British tanks, and they had a total of 14x 105mm light guns in addition to the 48x 25 pdr museum pieces.


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Bofors and RBS-70 are more than a threat for the RAF.
I really don't think a few AA Guns and 7x RBS-70 man portable SAM's with a range of 8km are going to trouble the RAF that much.


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You are right for the air force and the navy, however. I don't think the navy will be heavily engaged and the air force is no good outside COIN operations. Nevertheless, in case of the Twilight War, the Irish will still have their 6 Fouga Magister. These will be the sole jet aircrafts in the area and could prove to be of a certain advantage. Fouga have limited capacities but with no opposing jets they are something to count with.
The RAF don't have to base any jets in Northern Ireland. How hard would it realy be for RAF jets to reach any target in Ireland from Britain?


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Finally Ireland has the Garda Sochiana (Civil Police) to back its army and it will have less difficulties in term of supply. Outside Cork the country didn't suffer any massive destruction and you can expect it's tiny military industry to be working. That's very tiny indeed but more than what the British have after the nukes fall. In addition, you can expect the French to provide some supplies and why not more Fouga (the last were being retired at that time)
The Garda are an unarmed police force, although plain clothes officers do carry firearms and the force has small stocks of SMG's, shotguns and rifles. Ireland (Republic) has no military industry, it imports all its weapons. If Ireland attacks British forces then I would expect British forces to retaliate in some force, and they could pretty much wipe out Ireland's military forces in a days if they wanted to. If the French provide supplies I would expect it to be clandestine and not in great quantities, and they are certainly not going to be shipping Fouga's.
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