| Naval Service Diving Section | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1964 – present |
| Country |
 Ireland |
| Branch |
 Irish Naval Service |
| Type | Specialist military diving |
| Role |
Underwater search and recovery Bomb disposal Underwater engineering |
| Part of |
 Defence Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Haulbowline Naval Base, County Cork, Ireland |
| Engagements | Air India Flight 182 |
| Insignia | |
| Abbreviation | NSDS |
.jpg){kind=link}
Irish Naval Service Diving Section frogmen
A Naval Service Diving Section support truck
The Naval Service Diving Section (NSDS) is a specialist unit of the Irish Naval Service, a branch of the Defence Forces, the military of Ireland. The Naval Service Diving Section specialises in underwater diving tasks for the Naval Service, and since its formation in the early 1960s has become Ireland's most capable diving team, aiding other state agencies in various specialist roles.[1]
Roles[]
The main roles of the NSDS are;
- Search and Recovery
- Underwater Survey
- Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)
- Underwater Engineering
- Military Diving Training[2]
Organisation[]
The Diving Section was officially established in 1964 when Commander Joe Deasy brought back skills he learned from the United Kingdom Royal Navy to the Irish Naval Service. During the mid-1980s, the diver training course was set up at Haulbowline Naval Base, Cork Harbour, and since then over 1,400 Naval Service men and women have applied to join the elite unit, with just 150 succeeding, all men.[3]
In 1985, the NSDS was tasked with the search and recovery operation of Air India Flight 182, which came down off the south-west Irish coast in the deadliest terrorist bombing in aviation history, resulting in the deaths of 329 people.[4]
The Naval Service Diving Section provides specialised training for the special operations unit of the Irish Defence Forces, responsible for the provision of air and combat diving technique training for the Army Ranger Wing (ARW) Combat Diving Section.[5]
Rear Admiral Mark Mellett, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces, is a former member of the NSDS.[6]
See also[]
- List of military diving units
- Garda Water Support Unit
References[]
- ↑ "Naval Service Specialist Units: Naval Service Diving Section". Irish Naval Service. http://www.military.ie/en/naval-service/organisation/specialist-units/. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ↑ "Naval Service Diving Section (NSDS)". Irish Defence Forces 2013. http://www.military.ie/naval-service/organisation/specialist-units/diving-section/. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ↑ "Elite seamen bid to pass gruelling Navy test". Irish Mirror. 17 January 2015. http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/elite-seamen-bid-pass-gruelling-4993325. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ↑ "Special Report: Air India Flight 182". AirDisaster.Com. http://www.airdisaster.com/special/special-ai182.shtml. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ↑ "Specialist Dive Team Operations". Defence Forces Ireland. 29 December 2014. http://www.military.ie/press-office/news-and-events/single-view/article/29-december-2014-naval-service-operations-2014/?cHash=968faad17707fc7797e0c7a70bb59482. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ↑ "Appointment Of New Chief Of Staff". Irish Defence Forces Press Office. 30 June 2015. http://www.military.ie/en/press-office/news-and-events/single-view/article/30-june-2015-appointment-of-new-chief-of-staff/?cHash=7fb4ccd7ee640c5dbe23aabeb9d2ac56. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
External links[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Category:Irish Naval Service Diving Section. |
| |||||||
The original article can be found at Naval Service Diving Section and the edit history here.