An Cosantóir

www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 9 integrate effectively as part of a wider maritime force to deliver coherent operational effects. At sea, effective interoperability enables the Naval Service to communicate, share information and co-ordinate activities with partner nations, particularly during maritime security, surveillance, search and rescue (SAR), humanitarian assistance and peace support operations. Interoperability also has the potential to provide access to capabilities that may not be organic to the Naval Service Fleet at present. Effective integration with partnerships, Maritime Patrol Aircraft and HELOs can significantly increase Maritime Situational Awareness (MSA) and operational reach. Mediterranean Deployments Common standards and training processes facilitate the integration of Naval Service vessels into multinational exercises and deployments with minimal lead in time required, such as with the Mediterranean deployments (Operation Pontus, EUNAVFOR MED Operation Sophia, EUNAVFOR MED Operation Irini) which took place between 2015 and 2023. These deployments demonstrate an evolution from humanitarian SAR in Operation Pontus, through maritime security and counter-smuggling in Operation Sophia to counter-illicit arms trafficking in Operation Irini. The missions depended on interoperability with multinational naval forces through common communications, procedures, command & control, boarding practices and shared MSA. Collectively, these deployments demonstrate that interoperability is fundamental to the Naval Services ability to contribute effectively to multinational maritime operations. PASSEX The ability to work with international partners at sea is a crucial skill required by all navies and one that is perishable without continual practice. L.É. SAMUEL BECKETT recently conducted a PASSEX with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessel TIDEFORCE and as an Officer Under Training (OUT) I was in a good position to observe and interact with several aspects of the manoeuvres scheduled for this exercise. I had the pleasure of being able to attend a guided tour of the RFA TIDEFORCE the previous weekend and used my time to ask as many questions and see as much of the ship as I could. No two ships are the same nor are two crews the same and so there is always more to learn. Interoperability with foreign navies is a crucial step for the Irish Naval Service to expand its role from a constabulary naval service to a fully-fledged navy. Engaging with NATO and European partner navies with significant operational experience and Task Group operations, enables us to exercise these core skills upon the high seas. Seamless standardised communication is key to executing the complex and high-risk manoeuvres involved during fleetwork, and is a key enabler of interoperability at sea for navies. If we cannot learn to talk with other navies, we cannot learn to work with them. Our recent PASSEX with RFA TIDEFORCE commenced with a communications check. L.É. SAMUEL BECKETTs communications branch transmitted coded signals, exercised morse code flashing skills in a real time scenario and one of the most crucial aspects of naval manoeuvres, receiving and transmitting fleetwork signals. The Commanding Officer of RFA TIDEFORCE assumed the role of OCE (Officer Conducting Exercise) and as such promulgated a TABORD with exercise serials that included the granular details on manoeuvres, courses, speeds and formations in which the bridge team of P61 were to undertake in order to hone their ship handling skills. One such high risk manoeuvre is known as a RAS (Replenishment at Sea) approach. Each Officer of the Watch relies heavily on their bridge team to support them with the data and information to manoeuvre the ship safely alongside the replenishment vessel, at high speed and often battling pressure zones created in the water off the hull of the other vessel. Once "on station" replenishment operations can be simulated. Exercising with partner auxiliary ships and navies is a crucial part of interoperability for the Irish Navy, especially in the near future as the service gains new sensors and capabilities which will see further partnership to protect Irish and European waters from bad actors. Continued Interoperability exercises open the door for future capability development such as transferring personnel, equipment, stores, and potentially fuel as the Naval Service evolves, developing new capabilities and improving our interoperability. FORST SRET Damage Control Exercise FORST SRET Casualty evacuation FORST SRET Maritime Interdiction Naval Service PASSEX Manoeuvring EX 2026

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