The US state department has approved a €40 million deal to sell advanced missile systems to Ireland.
The deal will significantly expand the Defence Forces’ stock of FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles, which are already deployed with its Unifil mission in Lebanon.
Ireland has operated the Javelin, which is made by US defence companies Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, since 2006. The latest purchase will add 35 missile launchers and 44 missiles to Defence Forces stocks. The missiles can cost upwards of €70,000 each.
Under US law, the state department must notify the US Congress of exports of military equipment that exceed a certain value.
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According to regulations, such sales are not approved if they might weaken US national security or if the equipment could be used against US interests.
The deal, which will be worth an estimated $46 million (€40.44 million), has been approved by US officials. It was confirmed this week by the Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA), a part of the defence department that overseas foreign military sales.
Included in the package is technical assistance from the US government, training, advanced training simulators, containers and “related elements of logistics and program support”.
The state department approved the deal on the basis that it will support US foreign policy goals by improving Ireland’s ability to participate in UN peacekeeping missions and Nato’s Partnership for Peace programme, the DSCA said.
The sale will not alter “the basic military balance in the region”, another key consideration for the US government when assessing foreign military sales.
It will also not involve deploying any US troops to Ireland and “will have no adverse impact on US defense readiness”, the DSCA said.
Ireland’s Defence Forces have never fired a Javelin in combat, but missile stocks have been depleted over the years through training exercises. The missiles also have expiry dates, after which they must be destroyed.
The Javelin launcher units, known as Lightweight Command Launch Units, are sometimes used without the missile components as reconnaissance tools. Their advanced targeting technology is useful in detecting potential threats at a distance.
The Defence Forces declined to comment on the deal on Friday. “We do not give out specifics of our weapons systems for reasons of operational security,” a spokesman said.
The FGM-148 Javelin is a “fire and forget” anti-tank system, meaning its user can retreat to cover immediately after firing.
The weapon has played a key role in Ukraine’s defensive war against Russia. US-donated Javelins have proven to be highly effective at blunting Russian tank attacks.
Weighing 22kg, they can be operated by a three-person team. The guided projectile can hit a target 2km away with more than 90 per cent accuracy.
It can be used on targets hiding behind cover using its “indirect fire” mode, which launches the missile on a long arcing trajectory.
The cost of the missiles means most Defence Forces training on the Javelin system is done using simulators. However, about once a year a few selected soldiers get to shoot the real thing in a training scenario in the Glen of Imaal in Co Wicklow.
At the beginning of Russia’s invasion in 2022, Ireland faced calls to donate some or all of its Javelin stocks to Ukraine. However, the Government has limited the military assistance it offers to “non-lethal” support, including body armour and medical kits.
It plans to donate some Defence Forces radar systems and to provide funding for armoured personnel carriers and demining equipment.
