Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Spain won't sent any we already seen that ,

But the issue will Germany block/veto any transfers of their tanks to Ukraine

I am not surprised. Sounds like the Ukrainians have run tests on prisoners and probably corpses. Was this part of the incentive for prisoners; free drugs, all you can take?

I have never known wanna besieged defender to occupy their enemy.

Bumblebee

Touche you two ,touche

@Donald Trump @Widdensushi

@briany If worst comes worst, Ireland will need to have spent far more on defence than it is probably currently able to without making major cuts in other areas of public spending or proposing massive tax hikes, neither of which would be politically popular at all..

I honestly don't think it would need to make major cuts or tax hikes to properly equip the Defense forces, possibly we could add 1-1.5 billion per year to the current budget to bring the budget to 2 billon per year,we could purchase a modern primary radar , someone quoted 36 million for 16-18 Saab gripen jets ,and the development of a new purpose built modern air base ,

It's not going to cost tens or multiples of that being spent , along side massively increasing cyber security and secure infrastructure,

It's about spending Smart in the right places and bringing the right resources,

Over the next 10 years 250 billion + will be spent on social welfare alone, the defense budget will currently less than 10 billion which about half will be wages and pensions,

We won't be buying aircraft carriers ,f35s and Abrams tanks, we don't need them but we do need aircraft that can intercept targets in our airspace, but there options available, we don't necessarily need Abrams tanks, but we could use IFV to protect infantry troops here and over seas with the UN ,we could also look into drones something like the MQ9s that can be leased they give an option for Long range aerial reconnisence which could be used by the Naval service, Gardai and army ,

Cheaper than specific aircraft and can fly loiter for 22 + hours ,

Cyber security,as I mentioned the budget for social welfare,25billion per year and increasing but if an outside or inside player attacks the welfare cyber systems like we saw with the hse very recently, people won't get payments,no rents,no utilities get paid and all hell brakes loose,

It all has to go hand in hand defense systems can't just be bullets and jets we need to protect our vital infrastructures

An adult conversation will have to be had and decisions made ,we can't keep ignoring the new world order doesn't play by the rules anymore

Let's go nuts, spend 5billion a year,cut everything to fund it, yeah we still can't defend ourselves....

But you can do both side by side building cyber systems to protect vital infrastructure but we also need to physically protect vital infrastructure along the way,we don't need big ticket military item for power projection over seas but we do need to properly equip the Defense forces to protect our state and vital infrastructure,

We've had people telling us bakhmut is gone for months now and yet it's still very much in Ukrainan control,

Now they got to salt mine and suddenly we're getting the same predictions,

The Russians move forward for half a day then over night Ukrainian artillery and drones hammer the orcs before they fall back and repeat over and over.

Mystical meg's haven't predicted anything correctly yet

I did say "worst comes to worst", ie a situation that would require Ireland to have a large and reasonably well-equipped military.

Having some jets to scramble and other installations to protect infrastructure who enemies of the west might deem strategically significant wouldn't be a bad idea, however. Still, I don't think it will happen until enough pressure is put on an Irish government, and I have the feeling that such pressure would come from international partners long before it came from the electorate.

What? Grippens are around $61m a piece.

Half that depending on variant and equipment load out ,it's the one of the cheapest aircraft in it's category .

I believe you can least 10 aircraft+ 2 two seat trainers for around 700 million over 10 years with the ability to extend the lease or buy outright,and as more are built the cost per unit of falls ,

That or keep buying trainer aircraft that can't intercept foreign or unidentified aircraft,and can't carry modern armourments either,

Zero increase in capabilities while costing Money,

While the Saabs give you a modern multirole aircraft , with modern radar, avionics and armourments, on a tight budget

The French Leclerc is operational as well. It would be behind the other in capability but ahead of the Russian T90