An Cosantóir

MOWAG | 11 Mowag, next to the ramp and he has a copula to view from. Command: This vehicle is similar to the infantry Mowag with a two- man crew, turret and armament. It is fitted with extra telecommunications equipment (HF, VHF and satellite) so that its five-man headquarter staff can act as an armoured command vehicle. Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle: as they went about their day-to-day duties in Ireland and more importantly, overseas in Eritrea (2001-2 UNMEE); Kosovo (2004-10 KFOR); Liberia (2003-7 UNMIL); Lebanon (2006-7 UNIFIL); NBG (2007 Ireland and Sweden); Chad (2009-10 EUFOR/MINURCAT); T NBG (2011 Ireland and Sweden) and now back to Lebanon again. It was back in 1996, when a Chief of Staff’s report highlighted the need for a new armoured vehicle to replace the ageing Panhard APC, in service since 1972. The report outlined that any new APC would need sufficient firepower, protection, mobility and interoperability in the context of conventional operations at home and peace support operations overseas. It also required each vehicle to be armed with a 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun and a 7.62mm Medium Machine Gun incorporating a laser rangefinder and a night firing capability. In 1999, a selection board commenced a series of trails in the Curragh with a Mowag 8x8 and the Austrian Pandur 6x6 APCs short-listed. That December, based on their recommendations, the then Minister for Defence, Mr Michael Smith TD awarded the contract to Mowag for the construction and delivery of 40 APCs: Command (4); Infantry (34); one Ambulance and one Recovery at the cost of £40m. Throughout the production schedule, which commenced in 2000, an expert military team travelled to Switzerland regularly to oversee the build and to commence the initial operating, his versatile and proven vehicle has given our troops mobility, speed and added protection maintenance and driving courses prior to the Defence Forces taking charge of its first two Mowags in January 2001 with the remainder delivered in batches of four per month up to January 2002. The Mowag fleet was added to in 2004 and 2005, bringing it to 65 Mowags with more Command (4), Infantry (20) and Ambulance (1) added. When the Mowag entered service, all the vehicles were located in one unit, B Company, 3rd Infantry Company (Detached) in the Curragh Camp. They took charge of the fleet and all the command, driving and gunnery training for the entire Defence Forces. Also, the fact that the main vehicle workshops are in the Curragh was another factor for locating all the APCs there. Following the purchase and rolling delivery through 2007 and 2008 of 15 Mowag (nine close and six medium) reconnaissance variants, the 1st Armoured Car Squadron is now responsible for all Cavalry Corps training. Though all the Mowags are the same with regards to their armour, communications, night vision and optics, engine type, endurance and vehicle operations - the various types in service have some distinct features. Infantry: Its two-man crew (driver and gunner/commander) can bring their dismountable nine-man infantry section right up to the battlefield. The gunner/commander is positioned in a turret and can operate a 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun and a co-axial 7.62mm Medium Machine Gun. He has a built-in night sight incorporating a laser range finder to assist him locating targets. The dismountable platoon or section commander sits at the rear right of the Has a crew of three (driver, gunner and commander). It has an OTO Melara turret with a 30mm cannon and two 7.62mm Medium Machine Guns (one co-axial and one pintle-mounted). The crew using a fire control unit with built-in thermal imager and day camera to locate and aim the cannon. The vehicle can carry a dismountable four-man close target reconnaissance team. Close Reconnaissance Vehicle: Similar to the Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle, regarding crew, dismountable team and fire control unit. However, it has no turret but a remote weapons station, which can be fitted with either a 40mm Grenade Machine Gun or a 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun. Ambulance: With a driver, doctor and medical technician onboard, this turret-less armoured vehicle has no armament and can carry wounded in either four stretchers or two stretchers and six seated. This Mowag is fitted with racks of medical stores and lifesaving equipment. Recovery: This vehicle and its crew of one driver and two mechanics is designed to repair and remove damaged, unserviceable Mowags from the battlefield. The vehicle is fitted with an eight-ton self-recovery capstan, and inside the mechanics have an array of tools, spare parts, generator, air compressor, air jacks, tow bars and welders. With ten years of dedicated service and thousands of miles clocked up already, the Mowag APC will for the foreseeable future, continue to be the backbone of our mechanised infantry operations as a battle taxi, both at home and especially abroad. THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE

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