Ireland announces plan to strengthen maritime capabilities and cooperate with NATO

The Irish government has released its first Maritime Security Strategy, announcing enhancements to radar and subsurface monitoring capabilities as well as increased cooperation with NATO member countries.

Reuters reported on Feb. 25 that the move comes amid rising hybrid threats in the North Atlantic. Despite maintaining military neutrality and having the European Union's lowest defense spending, Ireland plans to improve surveillance and protection of its territorial waters.

The strategy from Ireland's Ministry of Defense calls for closer collaboration with Britain and France, along with participation in activities of the Joint Expeditionary Force, which includes 10 NATO members.

It emphasizes developing new radars, marine sensors and space technologies, as well as deploying unmanned ships and sea drones.

In 2023, Ireland devoted just 0.2% of its gross domestic product to defense -- the lowest in the EU and well below the bloc's 1.3% average. The government stated that the 2026 defense budget of 1.5 billion euros represents a one-third increase from four years prior, though no plans were outlined to align it with the EU average.