An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 19 inspire subsequent plots. The experience in other European countries has shown that the threat level can escalate rapidly and the source and intensity of that threat can dif- fer. A threat can also emerge sud- denly as a result of factors that lie outside the control of govern- ment. Events such as these are a continuing concern.' Although the Irish Government does not have a consolidated national counter- terrorism strat- egy, there are a range of counter- terrorism efforts being made by a number of gov- ernment depart- ments, as well as frontline agencies such as An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces in response to a potential terrorist attack. The ARW, the Defence Forces military counter- terrorism unit, is prepared to con- duct special op- erations both at home and abroad. On-island special operations are primarily in sup- port of aid to the civil power (ATCP) tasks, such as counter-terrorism operations when requested by An Garda Síochána, while off-island special operations conform to the NATO standard SOF roles: direct action (DA), spe- cial reconnais- sance (SR) and military assistance (MA). These categories are defined by NATO doctrine as follows: DA is a precise of- fensive operation conducted by SOF, which is limited in scope and duration in order to seize, destroy, disrupt, capture, exploit, re- cover, or damage high-value or high-payoff targets; SR is conducted by SOF to support the collection of a commander's priority in- telligence requirements (PIRs) by employing unique capabilities or joint intelligence, sur- veillance, and reconnaissance (JISR) assets; MA is a broad category of measures and activities that support and influence critical friendly assets through organising train- ing, advising, mentoring, or the conduct of combined operations. While the ARW is capable of conduct- ing these SOF specific roles in an overseas context, the unit's primary function at home is to provide an on-island counter- terrorism response. Potential tasks for the ARW include: anti-hijack operations; hostage rescue; airborne and seaborne interventions; search operations; spe- cialist tasks on land or at sea; pursuit operations; recapture of terrorist-held objectives; VIP security/close protection; and contingency planning to counter ter- rorist/subversive threats. In order to prepare for counter-terrorism operations at home, the ARW trains its personnel in combat marksmanship (CMMS), Close Quarter Battle (CQB), CQB Hostage Rescue (CQB-HR), as well as medi- cal and communications skills, to name but a few. Training at home is enhanced further by its members attending courses and training exchanges abroad with other foreign SOF and police units in an effort to maintain international best practices. After the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Mark Mellet DSM said: "We don't know what's around the corner; what challenges might face us. We are an instrument of government to respond to its priorities. The biggest chal- lenge is to ensure our force is ready, usable, and adaptable for the unknown. National security has become increasingly complex, requiring a different type of military; one ready for different types of work." As we go to print there was a terrorist attack by a suspected suicide bomber at an Ariana Grande concert at the Manches- ter Arena on 22nd May 2017, which has left 22 dead and 59 injured including some children. Now more than ever there is a need to invest in military forces in order to ensure their counter-terrorism units are equipped and trained to the highest levels. The ARW is no different in this regard. Police and other emergency services assist an injured woman near the Manchester Arena, 22nd May 2017. Photo: Joel Goodman/LNP/REX/Shutterstock Irish ARW teams training for on-island tasks in Aid to Civil Power (ATCP). A joint excecise with the ARW, Air Corps and Naval Service.

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