Sciathán Fianóglach an Airm

Óglaigh na hÉireann
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Unit History
 

 

Unit Designation
 
The Unit is officially designated 'Sciathán Fianóglach an Airm' , which is  translated as 'The Army Ranger Wing'. There is no direct English translation of the term 'Fianóglach' so the designation Ranger is the accepted version. Fianóglach links the traditions of the 'Na Fianna' (Legendary Irish Warriors) with the present day Irish Defence Forces 'Óglaigh na hÉireann'. Qualified members of the unit wear the Fianóglach shoulder flash insignia.
 
The Beginning
 

In the late 1960s and early 1970s a small number of Defence Forces personnel attended American Army Ranger Courses at Fort Benning, Georgia in the United States. On their return, these personnel were responsible for organising similar type courses which were aimed at bringing standards of training throughout the Defence Forces into line with accepted international standards. Students on these courses were selected from among all ranks and all Units of the Army, the Air Corps and the Naval Service. These courses proved to be very beneficial in improving standards of physical endurance, marksmanship, individual military skills and small unit tactics. 

The evolution of the Army Ranger Wing resulted from an increase in international terrorism in the late 1970s and 1980s. The kidnapping of politicians and businessmen as well as the hijacking of air and seagoing craft was of considerable concern to democratic governments. European and other countries realised that conventional police and military tactics were not suited to dealing with this escalating threat. 

Ireland, a member of the European Community, was not immune from such incidents and recognised the need for a specialised anti terrorist organisation.

The Defence Forces was in a position to respond with a competent and highly trained Unit. The increased skills and endurance training of 'Ranger'-trained personnel provided the perfect basis for the new specialist unit. The Army Ranger Wing (ARW) was formally established, in accordance with the Defence Act, by Government order in March 1980 . 
 

1980's
 

The selection process for the ARW was soon undertaken and the first "Ranger Selection Courses" were conducted in the Military College the Curragh. The first Selection course "Alpha" was soon followed by "Bravo" and so on. In fact the same selection course naming is still used today and the latest being "Golf One". Once the initial numbers of rangers filled the ranks of the then new ARW it was time to conduct "Ranger Instructor Courses" to bring the unit members up to a high standard  in order to instruct on future Selection courses. A new permanent home for the ARW had to be found and a local site was selected within The Curragh. This secure compound was ideal for the unit and is still the home of the ARW to this day.

Due to the nature of the unit, new equipment had to be sourced, tested and purchased. This included the specialised equipment for Sniping and Diving but most importantly proper weapon systems. The H&K family of weapons proved to be the favourite and as a secondary weapon  for the rangers the S&W .38 revolver was selected.  These initial weapons  purchases served the unit well and were in use up to the mid 1990's with the H&K 33 rifle being replaced by the Steyr with it's Optical Sight and the S&W  .38 revolver being replaced by the Sig P226 Pistol. With operations and training placed on the unit it was soon realised that a new pack was needed to carry the heavier loads placed on the rangers. Contacts were made with a local Irish firm to design and manufacture and load carrying pack with a detachable waist belt with extra pouches for ammunition and room for the rangers secondary weapon. In order for the unit to be deployed quickly new transport would also be required. A new fleet of Toyota 3Ltr Petrol Landcruisers and MAN Diesel 4x4 trucks would move the unit at a short notice.

To sharpen the rangers skills new courses would have to be undertaken and this was done with the help of the various Corp Units from the Defence Forces. These courses included Engineering Demolitions , Medical First Aid, Driving Courses and training with the Naval Service on waterborne exercises. In the later stages of the eighties the first exchanges between ARW members and foreign similar units took place. New skills were brought back to the unit especially in the area of "Anti-Terrorist" Hostage Rescue Training or the "Black Role" that the ARW would be required  provide in the  event of an operational requirement.
 

1990's
 

By the 1990's many of the original  members and founders of the unit who had "served their time" had moved on to different  areas within  the Defence Forces, this movement of rangers to other units greatly improved the training and general operational of the regular units. The selection courses at this stage were down one a year and still dozens of potential rangers passed through the gates of the ARW Headquarters hoping to make it through the selection process and become a member of this elite unit. In the early 1990's the first group of Rangers to serve together overseas on a UN mission took place. This was when a request came for Rangers to augment the No 1 Irish Transport Coy UNOSOM II Somalia  September 1993. The Rangers provided a security element for the convoys from the Irish Camp in Biadoa to Mogadishu and the return journey and also to outlining villages in the Biadoa area.

By now training in the unit was controlled by a training  cadre , this comprised of some of the units most seasoned members. Realistic exercises were conducted in a regular cycle covering all areas. This included Anti-Hijacking drills in the various airports around Ireland.  One of the most important skills that any ranger acquired during training was Shooting Marksmanship in the various weapons at his disposal. This included the new weapon system Accuracy International .308  for the unit snipers. Sniping within the unit at this stage had become a really specialised area with unit members having returned from Sniper Training in the UK and brought with them new ideas and training methods for potential snipers. In the conventional area of training or "Green Role" great strides were made on the return of unit members from the "Battle Sergeants Course" in the UK.

By now the units transport fleet needed replacement and new Nissan Patrols (3Ltr Diesel) and various Landover's were sent to the unit. It was at this stage that the first unit members underwent Motorcycle training with the Military Police Corps, and soon after the unit received it's first motorcycles.

The exchanges with foreign units continued with members going to units like GIGN (France) and GSG9 (Germany) and the return visit of members of these units to ARW Headquarters. Great friendship were formed on these visits and vast amounts of knowledge exchanged.

The first unit deployment on an overseas mission took place when a request came to provide troops East Timor under the Australian led INTERFET mission. The ARW provided a Platoon + strength to the mission area and conducted Special Operations missions in the volatile region.  The unit received commendations from the Mission commander for their professional manner in which they conduced their operations and missions. While the whole world celebrated the arrival of the new millennium, members of the ARW  were deployed in the jungles  of  East Timor , half a world away from their formation in 1980 at the Military College  The Curragh.