Submission to the Commission on the Defence Forces
Dear Sir,Madam,
This is my submission to the Commission on the Defence Forces for consideration:
Personnel
1. Because there are no Married Quarters available, a percentage of Social and Affordable Housing should be made available each year to the Defence Force. The Defence Force should allocate these houses to serving members. An allocated house should be within a County or a set distance from the location of the serving members barracks and with criteria attached to members enlistment or extension of service contract.
2. Serving members family, Wife / Partner and children, should have free access to basic GP type services with a military medical doctor.
Army
3. 15-20 Mowag Piranha V vehicles should be purchased and fitted with 120mm Mortars.
4. 15-20 Iveco-Oto Melara Centauro ll with 120mm cannon should be purchased to replace the AML 90's.
5. A long range anti aircraft, anti missile, anti drone system should be purchased to protect our air space.
6. More RBS 70 NG systems with Bolide missiles.
7. A quantity of Mowag Eagle V and Eagle 6x6 vehicles should be purchased. The IED incident in Mali involving ARW personnel in an Eagle V shows how effective these vehicles are.
Navy
8. The Navy should have a strength of at least ten ships. Nine Samuel Beckett class OPV's and one Multi–Role Vessel.
9. The Multi-Role Vessel should be big enough to accommadate a Mechanized Infantry Company and all their weapons, equipment and vehicles, plus attachments such as Engineers, Field Medical Hospital,Cavalry Corps etc.. The vessel should also be capable of taking two medium size helicopters or one large heavy-lift helicopter for humanitarian relief operations.
10. For a minsweeping capability there are DRONE minesweeping systems which could be purchased and stored in containers which could then be loaded onto the Aft Deck of one of the OPV's when required.
The Navy should also develop an anti submarine tracking capability.
Air Corps
11. The Air Corps should be supplied with aircraft for Transport, ISTAR, and Heli Ops.
12. For transport an Airbus A400M.
13. When the Learjet 45 is being replaced, a Pilatus PC-24 should be purchased. The PC 24 has the added advantage of being able to land on unpaved runways. Useful for small missions into Africa.
14. For ISTAR a fleet of IOMAX Archangel's to comliment the three Pilatus PC-12's. Retire the PC-9's.
15. I do not think it is cost effective to purchase fighter/interceptor jets just so that we can fly up to the Russian Bear bombers and tell them they are bad boys for flying in our air space. We are never going to shoot them down if they keep doing it. This is the reason I suggested purchasing a long range Anti Aircraft system so that we could protect our air space in the event of regional hostilities.
General
16. The Chief of Staff should have responsibility for the Defence Budget.
17. Pay and conditions will have to improve.
18. A long range Primary Radar System should be purchased and operated by the Air Corps.
19. OC ARW should hold the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Top five of my suggestions:
20. Pay and conditions
21. Purchase Mowag Eagle V and Eagle 6x6 vehicles.
22. Purchase Iveco-Oto Melara Centauro ll.
23. Airbus A400M.
24. The Chief of Staff should have responsibility for the Defence Budget.
Many thanks,