Irish Army - Weapons

Weapons

The Army has historically purchased and used weapons and equipment from other western countries, mainly from European nations and especially from Britain. Generally all equipment is of NATO standard design. Ireland has a very limited arms industry and rarely produces its own armaments.

In the beginning, the Army used the British Lee-Enfield rifle, which would be the mainstay for many decades after independence. In the 1960s some modernisation came with the introduction of the Belgian-made FN FAL 7.62 mm assault rifle.

Currently the standard weapon for an Irish Army soldier is the Austrian made Steyr AUG 5.56 mm assault rifle (used in the other branches of the Defence Forces). The Steyr began to replace the older FAL in 1988, although some of the Reserve Force continued to use the FAL until 2002.

Other weapons in use by the Army are the USP, FN MAG, .5 M2 Browning machine gun, SRAAW AT4, FGM-148 Javelin Anti-tank guided missile, L118 105mm Howitzer, RBS 70 and RBS 90 Surface to Air Missile system.