An Cosantóir

22 Background The Army Ranger Wing (ARW) recently conducted a NATO Special Operations Evaluation (SOFEVAL). NATO Special Operations Evaluation (SOFEVAL) is "a tactical tool to modernise a unit, or a strategic tool to modernise a Defence Forces" and was used to benchmark the current capabilities of the ARW and identify areas for capability improvement in line with international best practice and NATO SOF Standards. Ireland's relationship with NATO is set within the framework of the Partnership for Peace (PfP), including its Planning and Review Process (PARP). PARP is a mechanism for planning and capability development for Defence Forces deployment on Peace Support operations that allows for external review of defence capability and provision. What are the benefits? The highlighting of capability strengths and weaknesses is vital to development. Partaking in NATO SOFEVAL provides the ARW with access to NATO procedures and standards, as well as courses at NATO Special Operations School (NSOS). In the lead up to SOFEVAL, all staff underwent remote learning NSOS courses such as the NATO Special Operations Component Command (SOCC) staff course, SOF Intelligence and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) collection courses. With improved participation and engagement comes improved interoperability, capability and opportunities. Jointness Special operations are inherently joint in nature as a result of the requirement to operate across the land and maritime domains. Throughout the various operations conducted during the SOFEVAL exercises, the ARW was supported by the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service. These included Heli-borne vehicle interdictions, M-UAV's as part of the ISR assets and Naval support during maritime sub-surface insertions. The capabilities of the Defence Forces are improved when the organisation can draw upon the strengths of an integrated SOF unit, as opposed to an isolated one. Based out of Baldonnel, and co-located with the Air assets, the ARW were organised as a Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) in line with NATO Doctrine. It was in this SOTG HQ, where a significant portion of the evaluation focused on the SOTG HQ's ability to make use of the SOF Decision Making Process (SDMP) and NATO Mission cycles such as F3EAD (the SOF targeting cycle). These systems are used to plan and execute the various operations and tasks exclusive to the Army Ranger Wing. These included Direct Action, Special Reconnaissance and Military Assistance. NATO SOFEVAL By ARW Photos provided by ARW A member of the ARW carrying out Close Quarter Battle drills (CQB) 2 Air Corps helicoptors carrying ARW troops into a training mission area in Baldonnel Aerodrome An AW 139 hovers over the drop off point after an ARW member fast roped down from the helicopter NATO SOFEVAL

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