The EU, Irish Defence Forces and Contemporary Security

Description

This book aids any researcher, policymakers and military personnel in researching small states and militaries, European defence and security policy, as well as contemporary and emerging threats. This edited collection gathers academic commentators on Irish defence policy, military leaders from across the service components of the Irish Defence Forces and European defence experts to contribute to the first in-depth conversation and analysis on modern Irish defence and its application within the European Union. The aim of this edited book is to ascertain what capabilities are robust, which are lacking, what future threats need to be catered for, and what action is needed to ensure those threats will be addressed going forward. This book will explore emerging issues and applications of modern and contemporary threats within the context of Ireland, Europe and Western institutions. We have invited submissions from scholars, commentators, policymakers and military practitioners to evaluate the Irish Defence Forces and to illustrate the complexities facing small nations in formulating and resourcing defence and national security policy. Foreword Acknowledgements Introduction Part I: Defence Forces Capabilities and The Threat Environment Part II: The Reserve Defence Forces Part III: Peacekeeping Operations Part IV: Cyber Security in the Digital Age Part V: Defence Forces Institutional Innovation and Civil–Military Relations Part VI: The Principle of Irish Neutrality Contents List of Contributors List of Figures List of Tables Defence Forces Capabilities & The Threat Environment Ensuring the Jungle Doesn’t Grow Back: The Obligations Inherent to Irish Defence Policy Introduction Ireland’s Geographical Location and Jurisdiction: Where the State Exercises Sovereignty, Has Sovereign Rights, Duties, and Obligations Maritime Jurisdiction and Responsibilities Air Domain Jurisdiction and Responsibilities Space Domain Cyber Domain Irelands Multilateral Responsibilities The Current Security Environment from National, Regional, and Global Perspectives Multilateral Framework, National Interests, and Implications for the Defence Forces Ireland the EU and Strategic Autonomy Ireland and Neutrality Prospects of a Policy-Strategy Match Defence Policy Defence Expenditure and Resourcing Governance Capabilities Capability Gap Matrix Risk Conclusion A Brigade Commander’s Perspective: “Oglaigh na hEireann Has Been the People, Is the People, and Will Be the People” The Recent Past Why Do We Need to Spend on Defence? The General Officer Commanding’s Challenge Defence Forces Engagement with EU Partners The Future Disconnect and Mismatch: The Intellectual Formation of Irish Defence Policy and Practice Situation—The Threat Assessment and Ireland’s 2015 White Paper on Defence Disconnect—Ireland’s White Paper on Defence: Update 2019 The Perfect Storm—Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail The Solution Conclusion The Irish Naval Service: The Burden of the Minimalist Approach Introduction On the Irish Naval Service The Minimalist Approach to Maritime Security Where the Naval Service Has Come From An Islanders Perspective What the Naval Service Does for Ireland The Naval Service Today Conclusion Small Navies: Lessons for the Irish Naval Service Changes in the Strategic Environment and the Need for Increased Flexibility Operational Solutions for Small Navies Conclusion Irish Air Corps: Towards 2052 The Past Drives the Present into the Future Policy Context The Only Constant Is Change Conventional Needs Cost Misconceptions Many Services, One Defence Forces Space and Time Space Vulnerability, New Entrants and Drones The IAC and the Drone Accommodating New Entrants Accessing the Airspace Enabling Change Conclusion The Reserve Defence Forces Revitalizing the Irish Army Reserve Post-Commission on the Defence Forces: Moving from the Single Force Concept to a Total Force Policy Introduction The Argument The Role of the Army Reserve in Irish Defence Consistently Doing the Same Thing (Poorly) Fulfilling the Commission’s Aspirations: De-coupling the Reserve from the Regular Army Force Structure The Army Reserve Surge Brigade The Army Reserve Combat Support Brigade The Army Reserve Combat Service Support Brigade Integrated Reservists Unit Tiering Benefits of the New Force Structure: A Genuine “Single Defence Force” Command and Staff Arrangements Operational Benefits Strategic Benefits Skills Retention Benefits Policy Recommendations: Transitioning to a Total Force Policy Reserve Conclusion: Why Bother Revitalizing the Reserve? The Army Reserve: The Force-Multiplier for Irish Defence Introduction Understanding the Present Developing a Future Reserve Army Reserve (Integrated) Army Reserve (Support) Army Reserve (Specialists) The Army Reserve as a Force-Multiplier Learning from the Past The Need for Incentives The Need for Adequate Funding ‘Volunteer’ Status and Civilian Employment The Benefits of Proper Integration Targeted and Reasonable Goals Acknowledging Reserve Specialists as Specialists Leadership Conclusion Ireland’s Naval Service Reserve: An Analysis of Current Capabilities and Role for the Future Introduction Legislative Basis Weathering the Storm: Current Capabilities and Challenges The Horizon: Future Threats and Potential Roles Threat Environment Conclusion: Forecasting or Foreboding? Peacekeeping Operations Decolonisation, Conflict and Independence: The Impact of History on Ireland’s Approach to Peacekeeping Introduction Irish History and Peacekeeping Literature Strategic Culture That Which Surrounds Decolonisation Independence Conflict That Which Weaves Together The Peacekeeping Tradition The History of the Future Conclusion Ireland’s Largest Peacekeeping Mission—The Irish Defence Forces in UNIFIL The Origins of UNIFIL The Irish Defence Forces in UNIFIL: Traditional Peacekeeping, 1978–2001 The Irish Defence Forces in UNIFIL: Expeditionary Peacekeeping, 2006–Present The Impact and Significance of the Irish Defence Forces Service with UNIFIL Peacekeeping in the Digital Age: Future Threats and Capability Requirements Introduction The Changing Conflict Environment and the Evolving Role of Technology Threats and Opportunities for Peace Operations Policy Developments Threats Opportunities Challenges Implications for Troop- and Police-Contributing Countries Capabilities, Training and Organisational Culture Technology and Equipment The Road Ahead Cyber Security in the Digital Age The Digital Transformation of UN Peacekeeping and the Role of the Irish Defence Forces Introduction Digital Technologies and the Changing Conflict Environment UN Policy Developments The Challenge Digital Technologies Pose for Peace Operations The Opportunities Digital Technologies Present for Peace Operations The Opportunities Digital Technologies Present for the Defence Forces Conclusion Cyber Resilience for Europe’s Armed Forces in the Twenty-First Century: A German Perspective Introduction Digitalisation in the Context of Security Policy Opportunities of Digitalisation New and Disruptive Technologies Digitalisation in the Bundeswehr The Challenge of Cyber Security Responsible Use of New and Disruptive Technologies The Cyber and Information Domain in the Bundeswehr Resilience Through Digital Sovereignty Trustworthy IT Key Technologies Core Command Capability Capacity for Innovation Digital Competence Conclusion The Irish Defence Forces in the Drone Age Introduction The Drone Age Landscape Loitering Munitions Swarming Violent Non-State Actors Uncrewed Ground Vehicles Uncrewed Underwater and Surface Vehicles Challenges and Opportunities Facing the Irish Defence Forces Defence Forces’ Uncrewed Vehicles Opportunities for All Services of the Defence Forces Dilemmas Conclusion Defence Forces Institutional Innovation and Civil-Military Relations A Research, Technology and Innovation Capability for the Defence Organisation Introduction Threat Environment What is RTI for Defence? Defence Research, Technology & Innovation Capability The RTI Capability Structure Developing the RTI Capability Benefits of RTI Challenges Ahead for RTI Joint Working Opportunities The Road Ahead Shared Norms but Policy Incoherence: Analysing the Irish Defence Forces’ Marketplace Aspirations Introduction The Problem of Top-Cover Common Norms, Competing Standpoints The Interaction of Norms and Institutions Corroborating Norm and Institutional Influence Conclusion Ireland and the Citizens in Uniform Introduction The Genesis for Military Representation in Ireland Frustration, Negotiation, and Representation Military Representation as a Threat to National Security Changing Lives, and the Future Affiliation to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Permanent Pay Review Body Conclusion The Principle of Irish Neutrality Ireland, NATO and “the Return of Geopolitics” in Europe Introduction Ireland and NATO: Complicated Relations Hybrid Interference and Transnational Security Transnational Geopolitics and Cyber Security Airspace Violations and Insecurity Maritime Security in the North Atlantic Conclusion Irish Military Neutrality: A Historical Perspective for Modern Consideration Introduction Neutrality as Necessity (1923–1939) Origins and Policy The Report of the Army Organisation Board Neutrality as Expediency (1939–1955) The Emergency 18th Military Mission After the War Neutrality as Convenience (1955–Present) Irish Neutrality in the Modern Era Conclusion Generating More Heat Than Light? The Debate Over Ireland’s Neutrality and the “European Army” EEC and NATO Defending Europe? EEC Membership “New Cold War” European Integration Partnership for Peace “European army”? Europe “worth defending” Neutrality—A Considered Policy? Conclusion Index