Army Ranger Wing
The Army Ranger Wing (ARW) (Irish: Sciathán Fianóglach an Airm, "SFA") is the special operations force of the Irish Defence Forces, the military of Ireland. In late 2023, it was reported that the unit was to be renamed the Ireland Special Operations Force (IRL-SOF). It is a branch of the Irish Army, it also selects personnel from the Naval Service and Air Corps. It serves at the behest of the Defence Forces and Government of Ireland, operating internally and overseas, and reports directly to the Chief of Staff. The ARW was established in 1980 with the primary role of counter terrorism and evolved to both special operations and counter-terrorism roles from 2000 after the end of conflict in Northern Ireland. The unit is based in the Curragh Camp, County Kildare. The 2015 White Paper on Defence announced that the strength of the ARW would be considerably increased due to operational requirements at home and overseas.
| Irish Army Ranger Wing | |
|---|---|
| Irish: Sciathán Fianóglach an Airm | |
Shoulder flash and insignia of the Army Ranger Wing | |
| Active | 16 March 1980 – present |
| Country | Ireland |
| Branch | Irish Army |
| Type | Special forces |
| Role | Counter-terrorism Special operations Direct action Counterinsurgency Special reconnaissance Extraction operations |
| Size | Classified |
| Part of | Defence Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | DFTC, Curragh Camp, County Kildare |
| Nickname(s) | Fiannóglaigh/Fianóglach" |
| Motto(s) | Glaine ár gcroí, Neart ár ngéag, Agus beart de réir ár mbriathar ("The cleanliness of our hearts, The strength of our limbs, And our commitment to our promise") |
| Colours | Black, Red and Gold |
| Engagements | UNOSOM II INTERFET UNPROFOR UNFICYP UNIFIL MINURSO UNMIL MINURCAT MINUSMA |
| Website | www |
| Insignia | |
| Green Beret | |
| Abbreviation | ARW |
The unit has served abroad in a number of international peacekeeping and peace enforcement missions including in Somalia, East Timor, Liberia, Chad, and Mali. The ARW trains with special forces units around the world, particularly in Europe. The ARW in its domestic counter terrorism role trains and deploys with the Garda Síochána (national police) specialist armed intervention unit, the Emergency Response Unit (ERU).