List of equipment of the Irish Army

This is a list of equipment of the Irish Army, the land component of the Irish Defence Forces.

Small arms

Standard issue weapons Name Origin Type Calibre Image Notes Handguns Heckler & Koch USP Semi-automatic pistol 9×19mm Parabellum Standard issue pistol. Entered service in 2007. Replaced the Browning Hi-Power which served since 1963. Assault rifles & battle rifles Steyr AUG MOD 14 (MODel 2014) Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO Standard issue assault rifle. Entered service in 1989, replacing FN FAL - which served since 1961 - and Carl Gustaf m/45. Equipped (since 2014 upgrade; originally Irish AUGs had 1.5x fixed scope)) with ACOG 4x32 optical sight. Precision rifles FN FAL Designated marksman rifle (DMR) 7.62×51mm NATO The FN FAL was previously the standard service rifle for the Defence Forces (replacing Lee-Enfield Rifle No.4 in 1961), being replaced by Steyr AUG in 1989 (but used by Irish reserve forces until the early 2000s). Older FAL rifles were upgraded with an adjustable butt stock, Picatinny-style rail hand guard, a bipod, and a Schmidt & Bender sight for use as sniper support weapons, re-entering Irish service as DMR in 2011.In January 2021, the Defence Forces stated a replacement was being sought. Accuracy International 92 Bolt action sniper rifle 7.62×51mm NATO Entered service in 1992. Accuracy International AWM Bolt action sniper rifle 8.6×70mm (.338 LM) Entered service in 2011. Machine guns FN MAG General-purpose machine gun 7.62×51mm NATO Entered service in 1964. Used with a bipod or in the sustained fire (SF) role with a tripod. Also possible to use with C2A1 sight (like the mortars). M2 Browning .5 Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) Heavy machine gun 12.7×99mm NATO (.50 BMG) Entered service in the 1970s. Used in sustained fire and air defence roles. Grenades Mecar M72 HE Grenade Fragmentation hand grenade n/a Grenade launchers Diemaco M203 grenade launcher Under-barrel grenade launcher 40×46mm LV Mounted to Steyr AUG rifle. Heckler & Koch GMG Automatic grenade launcher 40×53mm HV Fitted to MOWAG APCs and Army Ranger Wing vehicles. Anti-tank weapons AT4 Short Range Anti-Armour Weapon (SRAAW) Recoilless gun 84mm Entered service in 1997. Carl Gustav 84mm Anti-Armour Weapon Recoilless rifle 84mm Javelin Anti-tank guided weapon Anti-tank guided missile 127mm Entered service in 2003. CLUs and 36 missiles acquired in 2006. 36 CLUs and 44 missiles bought in 2025.

Army Ranger Wing weapons (special forces) NameOriginTypeCalibreImageNotes Handguns H&K USP9 Tactical Semi-automatic pistol 9×19mm Parabellum SIG Sauer P226 Semi-automatic pistol9×19mm ParabellumSIG Sauer P228 Semi-automatic pistol9×19mm ParabellumFN Five-seveNSemi-automatic pistolFN 5.7×28mmSubmachine gunsHeckler & Koch MP5Submachine gun9×19mm ParabellumA3, SD6, F, and K variants FN P90TRSubmachine gunFN 5.7×28mm Assault rifles & battle rifles Steyr AUG A2 Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO ACOG 4×32 optical sights Steyr AUG A3 Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO ACOG 4×32 optical sights Heckler & Koch HK416 Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO Heckler & Koch HK417 RECCEBattle rifle7.62×51mm NATO Precision riflesHeckler & Koch HK417 SniperDesignated marksman rifle7.62×51mm NATOAccuracy International 92Bolt action sniper rifle7.62×51mm NATOAccuracy International AWMBolt action sniper rifle8.6×70mm (.338 LM)Accuracy International AW50Anti-materiel rifle12.7×99mm NATO (.50 BMG) Machine guns FN Minimi Para Light machine gun 5.56×45mm NATO Shotguns Benelli M4 Pump action shotgun 12 gauge

Indirect fire

Name Origin Type Calibre Number Image Notes Mortars Denel Vektor M1 60mm Mortar Mortar 60mm Entered service in 2003. Can use similar sight and fire control computer as 81mm mortar. Also configurable as a commando mortar. Hotchkiss Brandt 81mm Mortar Mortar 81mm 84The Military Balance 2021, p. 115 Uses the C2 AI Sight Unit and a Morfire Fire Control Computer. RUAG M87 120mm Mortar Mortar 120mm 24 Entered service in 2008. Used by Artillery Regiments heavy mortar batteries. Artillery 105mm L118 light gun Howitzer 105mm 17 Along with the L119, these are used as the primary artillery support weapon. 105mm L119 light gun Howitzer 105mm 6 Along with the L118, these are used as the primary artillery support weapon. Ceremonial guns Ordnance QF 25-pounder Field gun 87.6mm 6 48 ex-British Mark IIIs acquired in 1949. Withdrawn from the Army in 1981 and from the Reserve in 2009. Used for ceremonial gun salutes only. QF 12-pounder 12 cwt gun Naval gun/Coastal artillery 76.2mm 10 These former coastal artillery guns are used, in two fixed saluting batteries, for ceremonial gun salutes only. Four are in Cork Harbour at Fort Mitchel, Spike Island, County Cork. A further six are in Dún Laoghaire Harbour, County Dublin.

Vehicles Name Origin Type Number Image Notes Armoured fighting vehicles Mowag Piranha IIIH Armoured personnel carrierArmoured reconnaissance vehicle 80 (2021) Introduced in 2001. 45 APC (equipped with a manned turret equipped with a M2 Browning and a FN MAG) 18 CRV (Close Reconnaissance Vehicles with Protector RWS equipped with M2 Browning or Heckler & Koch GMG; 9 armoured personnel carriers were converted to close reconnaissance vehicles in 2014–2015) 8 command vehicles (equipped with a manned turret equipped with a M2 Browning and a FN MAG) 6 MRV (Medium Reconnaissance Vehicles with Hitfist-30 turret and Mk44 Bushmaster II 30mm autocannon) 2 ambulances 1 recovery vehicle

A mid-life upgrade (MLU) was completed in 2025. Army Ranger Wing (special forces) ACMAT VLRA Tactical support trucks 3 Ford F350 SRV Special reconnaissance vehicle 12 Left hand drive. General service vehicles Toyota Landcruiser Off-road vehicle 280 280 ordered for delivery 2019-2023. Replacing older vehicles. Toyota Landcruiser /Centigon Fortress 200 Intervention Off-road vehicle 52 Armoured Utility Vehicle AUV. 24 ordered in 2018. 28 ordered in 2020 Nissan Patrol Off-road vehicle 38 The Defence Forces maintains a small fleet of 'discreet' armoured SUVs for high-risk and IED-threat missions. Mitsubishi Pajero Off-road vehicle 32 32 Mitsubishi Pajero vehicles are fitted for radio (FFR) - VHF. Isuzu D-Max Off-road vehicle — Ford Ranger Off-road vehicle — 20 donated to Ukraine in 2024. 16 donated to Ukraine in 2025. Suzuki DR350 Motorcycle — Suzuki DRZ-400 Motorcycle — Yamaha Grizzly 660 ATV / Quad — Troop carrying vehicle Iveco EuroCargo 4x4 Troop carrying vehicle 70 Mercedes-Benz 1117 4x4 Troop carrying vehicle 60 Scania P 370B 4x4 Troop carrying vehicle 120 120 ordered for delivery 2020-2023. Replacing older 4x4 troop carriers Scania R 420 6x6 Troop carrying vehicle 36 36 ordered in 2006. Scania R 420 8x4 Miscellaneous 2 Delivered 2006. One in naval service EOD Duro II 6x6 Tactical military lorry (truck) 6 Delivered 2003 Leyland DAF T244 4x4 Artillery gun tractor and troop carrying vehicle 55 Ford Transit Minibus Minibus — 8 donated to Ukraine. Logistics Iveco Astra M320.42 W BAD 8×8 DROPS DROPS truck21 One fitted with an EKALIFT 2500 recovery body. Scania P124CB 8×8 DROPS DROPS truck 15 Tender for 20 new DROPS vehicles issued in 2021. 5 donated to Ukraine. EMPL on Scania truck / Recovery truck 2 Explosive Ordnance Disposal MAN HX60 Armoured EOD trucks 3 or more Initially Delivered 2011. Two additional ordered 2016. Aardvark MK4 Mine flail — Mowag Duro II Explosive ordnance disposal vehicle 6 Ceremonial vehicles Rolls Royce armoured car Armoured car 1 ARR-2 Sliabh na mBan. The sole remaining example of thirteen vehicles. Was part of the convoy ambushed at Béal na mBláth where General Michael Collins, Commander in Chief of the National Army, was killed during the Irish Civil War. Currently used for ceremonial purposes, and also the world's oldest active serving armoured vehicle. Land Rover Defender Off-road vehicle — Field ambulances and funeral gun carriage tractor. 2 funeral vehicles to be modified into electric vehicles. Honda NC750X Motorcycle 48 Purchased in 2019 to be used by 2nd Cavalry Squadron to provide a ceremonial escort for the President and other dignitaries.

Air defence Name Origin Type Number Image Notes RBS-70 Missile system Man-portable air-defense system >12 (as of 2014) A number of launchers and a simulator were acquired in 1981. Upgraded in 2006 and "more than a dozen" upgraded in 2014 for €4.4 million to include deliveries of improved firing units, new simulators, night vision equipment and associated weapons support. Upgraded with BOLIDE missiles. MBDA Sky Warden Counter-drone system 1 1 system received for €20 million, operational since at least July 2026

Unmanned aerial vehicles NameOriginTypeNumberImageNotes Aeronautics Orbiter UAV Miniature UAV 14 (as of 2016) Used by Artillery Corps. Two systems were acquired in 2006 each system has 3 Orbiter UAVs. Two were destroyed in crashes and one was lost and never recovered. €2m was spent on 12 new UAVs in 2016/17.

On order NameOriginTypeNumberImageNotes Thales GM 400α Long range radar 4 Delivery expected from 2027 Thales GM 200MM/A Medium range radar 1 Delivery expected from 2027

Gallery

See also Modern Irish Army uniform Armoured fighting vehicles of the Irish Army

References