Ire Military - 2021

Military and security forces

Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireannn): Army, Air Corps, Naval Service, Reserve Defense Forces (2021)

Military expenditures

0.27% of GDP (2020)

0.29% of GDP (2019)

0.29% of GDP (2018)

0.31% of GDP (2017)

0.33% of GDP (2016)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Irish Defence Forces have approximately 8,700 active duty personnel (7,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 700 Air Force) (2020)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Irish Defense Forces have a small inventory of imported weapons systems from a variety of mostly European countries; the UK is the leading supplier of military hardware to Ireland since 2010 (2020)

Military deployments

130 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 340 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Jan 2021)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service recruits to the Defence Forces (18-27 years of age for the Naval Service); 18-26 for cadetship (officer) applicants; 12-year service (5 active, 7 reserves); Irish citizen, European Economic Area citizenship, or refugee status (2020)