The Army Ranger Wing (ARW), the most elite and secretive unit of the Defence Forces, is to undertake its largest expansion and restructuring in its 43-year history. The most visible change will be a new name: Ireland Special Operations Force or IRL-SOF for short. The changes mirror those in other western militaries which have increased the size of their special operations forces while also granting them more autonomy and status. The creation of the directorate will mean, unlike the current situation, special forces officers will have a direct input into military planning. Work is now under way to devise a new selection course for these personnel to allow them be permanently attached to the special forces unit.

Source: The Irish Times December 31, 2023 06:09 UTC