Ire Military - 2021

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

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)

NOTE: The information regarding Ire on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ire 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ire 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.