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| Medical Proficiency |
Every member of the Unit undergoes an Advanced First Aid Course, run by the Army Medical Corps. The syllabus includes Basic Trauma life-support and covers Intravenous Infusion and Oxygen Therapy. On operations and during training exercises the Units full range of medical equipment will be close at hand, ready to care for any casualties be they ARW personnel or others.
Individuals within the Unit are appointed and responsible to oversee the upkeep and maintenance of the best available medical equipment. It is a source of pride that each Army Ranger has the ability to care for casualties until they are put into the care of the emergency medical services. |
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Radio/Data Communications |
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The ARW is equipped with state of the art SINGCARS and RACAL communications equipment which provides the unit with secure communications between all it's elements and Defence Forces Headquarters. |
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Unit Parachuting |
The ARW conducts parachute training within the Defence Forces and all Unit members are proficient in this area. All trainees must successfully complete five (5) static line jumps from 2,000 feet using T10 round canopies to earn their wings. Selected unit members then progress to free-fall. Rangers who reach a high standard are sent abroad for HALO (High altitude low opening) and HAHO (High altitude high opening) training.
Most ARW parachutists are encouraged to compete in sports parachuting such as accuracy and relative work competitions. ARW members also represent the Irish Defence Forces in the annual World Military Parachuting Championships under CISM (Conseil International du Sport Militaire) |
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Unit Sniping |
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One of the ARW primary specialist military skills is Sniping. Up to half of ARW members are fully qualified snipers. This affords the Unit a high degree of flexibility within its various roles. All potential Snipers undergo a rigorous seven-week Basic Sniper Course. On this course the student is taught the Sniper related military skills e.g. Shooting, Camouflage and Concealment, Stalking and Navigation. Having successfully completed this course the student becomes a fully qualified sniper.
Intensive exercises are conducted for selected personnel, sometimes in conjunction with Foreign Special Forces. The Unit trains its Snipers in Anti-Terrorist sniper military skills including Advanced Shooting Techniques, Urban Hides, Co-ordinated Shoot Procedures and Computer Data Transmission.
The locating, observing and reporting on targets are essential skills of the ARW sniper. These three functions are complemented by the invaluable experience gained on front-line duty with the Irish Battalion serving with the UN in South Lebanon. The ARW uses state of the art Digital Technology and Burst Transmission Communications to transmit images and data. |
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| Unit Diving |
Selected Rangers specialise in Combat Diving and must undergo a two week preliminary Diving Course under the supervision of the ARW diving section. This course involves an introduction to diving and diving equipment. Students gain water confidence and dive in varying conditions and visibility in preparation for the next phase of the course which is conducted by the Naval Service Diving Section at the Naval Base.
This three week course mirrors the Naval Ships Diver Course where the students are introduced to Compass Diving, Ships Bottom Searching, Deep Diving, the Decompression Chamber and Small Boat Handling.
The final phase of the course consists of a seven day period of Combat Diving under the supervision of skilled combat divers from within the Army Ranger Wing. During this week the student learns Harbour and Beach Reconnaissance. Also included is Covert Ship Boarding, ending in a seagoing maritime exercise involving all of the Unit's combat divers. |
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Advanced Navigation |
From the beginning of the induction process each Rangers navigation ability is tested to its maximum. Effective day/night solo all weather navigation, over the roughest of terrain and at varying levels of elevation, is paramount to successful ARW missions. An advanced level of perfected skill is constantly demanded. Participation in military orienteering sporting competitions is encouraged and assists in honing the skill required for reaching and returning from mission imperative objectives. Equipment proficiency ranges from application of the basic map and compass to the more sophisticated Global Positioning System with computerised interface.
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Explosives Intervention |
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The very nature of ARW operations, involving the manipulation of explosives and munitions, demands meticulous calculation in both the intervention and countermeasure fields.
Only the highest standards are accepted. Army Ordnance Corps expertise is recruited into the Unit from among the most adept Explosives Ordnance Disposal Teams (Bomb Disposal) to be found anywhere.
These personnel are very familiar with the wide array of improvised explosive devices used by subversive groups here in Ireland, and by militias and various factions in south Lebanon as well as in other peacekeeping missions around the world.
This experience is vital to ARW research & development and the supervision of basic and advanced explosives training in the Unit.
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| Shooting Dkills |
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Once the candidate is selected to serve with the unit he will immediately undergo instruction in weapons handling. Great emphasis is places on weapon marksmanship in all weapons, this will include Pistol, Sub-Machine Gun and Rifle. In fact it is not unusual for all members of the unit to achieve a marksmanship score in all weapons at the end of training. Unit members can then progress onto the more specialised area of sniping. |
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International Interchange |
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As part of the ongoing training the Unit conducts interchanges with Special Forces and Intervention Groups among which are The Royal Dutch Marines, the French GIGN, the Italian CIS, the German GSG9 and the Swedish SSG. Exchanges lead to international co-operation through mutual contact and evaluation of each others specialised skills. ARW individuals selected are of varying service within the Unit and specialise in areas such as diving, sniping, parachuting, medical or explosives |
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