€300m plan to buy massive naval ship may be changed as officers seek more combat-oriented craft
The Journal
,
in January of last year
,
reported that the Department of Defence had issued documents in a European Union portal outlining its requirements for would-be ship builders.
The Multi-Role Vessel (MRV) would allow the Irish Naval Service respond to large-scale humanitarian crises, it was planned.
The release revealed that the ship would be an 'auxiliary hospital, cargo, tanker and roll-on-roll off vessel'. This meant that it would be able to carry vehicles which would be able to drive off a ramp while the ship was deployed.
It would also be able to carry helicopters and provide 'a flexible and adaptive capacity for a wide range of maritime tasks, both at home and overseas'.
The vessel was to be 'the flagship of the Irish naval fleet'.
The much vaunted project has been in the works for years. Back in 2020, Paul Kehoe, the then-Minister of State at the Department of Defence,
had spoken about planning being underway
in a Dáil comment.
The MRV would replace the now decommissioned LÉ Eithne, Kehoe said in 2020. That replacement plan was first mooted in 2015.
The new vessel was not mentioned
in the most recent National Development Plan
announced by the Taoiseach and senior ministers last month.
We asked the Department of Defence what progress was being made on the project. They said:
'Over the coming months, the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces will re-evaluate all strategic equipment and infrastructural priorities to align with the revised 2026-2030 multi-annual capital allocations.'
The Journal
has now learned that cryptic line was issued because behind the scenes there is a reimagination underway of the project.
It is understood that Naval Service and Defence Forces officers are now advocating for a much more combat-orientated ship known as a Multi Role Combat Vessel (MRCV).
The view among military experts, according to sources, is that this would be much more suited to the true multi-mission capability needed for a navy patrolling the north Atlantic.
It is understood that some are advocating for more aggressive platforms, known as Frigates. These ships are similar to those seen in other navies and carry a variety of capabilities and offensive weaponry.
Sources have said this is causing some issues with civil servants working in procurement regarding the possible public reaction to having an overtly aggressive ship.
It is understood one of the ships being considered is the Arrowhead 140 frigate from British ship builder Babcock.
According to
its website the company
said the ship 'originates from an air defence frigate, but is able to change operational role rapidly depending upon capability needs and will meet naval requirements both now and in the future'.
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The Arrowhead 140 is a ship that is capable of Anti-Aircraft Warfare, Anti-ship and anti-submarine operations. The vessel manufacturers already have links to French arms company
Thales which has recently agreed a deal
with Ireland for sonar equipment.
An artist's impression of the Arrowhead Frigate design.
Babcock.
Babcock.
The Department view
We asked for documents from the Department of Defence (DOD) under the Freedom of Information process in regard to progress in the project. They issued us subsequently with a briefing note.
This did not give any definitive detail on the project, progress of the procurement process or any timelines on when it would be delivered.
It did say that planning is underway following Cabinet approval of a full replacement programme for the existing naval fleet which would comprise of eight vessels.
'Various approvals are required to progress the project, including Government approval (for projects over €200m) before tendering and again prior to any award of contract after which an implementation stage would commence prior to ultimate delivery,' the document states.
The DOD explained also the nature of the bureaucracy associated with such a project.
In an apparent confirmation of the reason for the delay, they said that the MRV project is guided by the Government's Infrastructure Guidelines (IG) published in December 2023. The project is now slowly making its way through the preliminary stages before there are a number of reviews carried out.
While it appeared that there was Government approval previously for the project it has now emerged that it is yet to be signed off by the Cabinet.
'Various approvals are required to progress the project, including Government approval (for projects over €200m) before tendering and again prior to any award of contract after which an implementation stage would commence prior to ultimate delivery,' the briefing note states.
The process is further complicated by a raft of strategic assessments and compiling of a so-called business case stage.
There is a key line that states that departments working on major infrastructural projects must come up with a list 'of potential options which could address the needs to be met'. That may well be the signal and grounds to change the shape of the project from MRV to MRCV.
'Marine advisors were appointed to support the MRV project and work remains ongoing that will inform next steps. A Prior Information Notice (PIN) was published in 2024 to advise the market of the intention to run a competition to replace the former flagship, with an estimated value of €300m.
'The MRV project is being progressed with a view to submitting a Strategic Assessment and Preliminary Business Case to Government,' the Department note stated.
While the DOD gave no details on what is actually happening in terms of the ultimate project, security sources said there is a hidden cost.
There would need to be massive works at the Naval Service's Haulbowline base in Cork Harbour with an extension of quaysides and dredging to facilitate the much bigger ship.
There will also need to be a strategy to recruit and train very highly skilled technicians.
One optimistic source said that if it does come off the ship will be a huge leap forward for Ireland.
But as another well-placed security source said: 'No one is holding their breath that this going to happen.'
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