The LÉ William Butler Yeats: did not fire on the drones as there were civilan aircraft in the area. Drones have rapidly become integral to modern warfare yet the Defence Forces remain without the basic tools needed to combat them. Naval vessels such as the LÉ William Butler Yeats do not have air search radar, electronic jamming equipment or other drone counter measures. The command and control structures of the Defence Forces – there is no single joint command over the Navy and Air Corps – may have further hampered any response. Beyond that, the wider issue that must be addressed is the role of the Defence Forces in a world that has changed significantly, making security and defence much higher priorities.

Source: The Irish Times December 09, 2025 23:33 UTC