New Irish ration pack

[donaldjcheek]

The old Irish Army 24-hour ration pack, created in 2004, was found not suitable in hot climates. Reports from Liberia and Chad told of items melting in the heat, menu fatigue, food unpalatable in hot climates, foods spoiling quickly, etc.

In response, the Irish DF developed a new 24-hour Operational Ration Pack. IMHO, it seems heavily influenced by the new British Multi-Climate ration, and many of the contents are provided by the same contractor, Vestey foods.
The new ORP comes in 10 menus, provides an average 4000 kcal per day, has a shelf life of 18 months and is intended to be used up to 30 days.

Irish DF ORP Menus
A: Lamb casserole
B: Steak & Veg
C: Chili con carne w/rice
D: Pasta Bolognese
E: Chicken w/mushroom pasta
F: Sweet & sour Chicken w/pasta
G: Pork curry
H: sausage casserole
I: Vegetable Korma (vegetarian ORP)
J: Chicken & tomato w/pasta
Breakfasts are: bacon & beans, sausage & beans, or All-day breakfast, with a vegetarian All-day Breakfast for menu I.
Lunches are either a soup such as chunky bean & bacon, leek & potato, carrot & coriander, or chicken & vegetable; or a pasta dish such as Tuna & bean pasta, pasta salad or Mexican tuna pasta.
Desserts include: toffee pudding in sauce, chocolate brownie, Chocolate pudding in sauce, rice pudding, or sliced peaches.
There is a wide selection of snacks; tuna pouches, beef jerky, pureed fruit, snack bars, cookies, granola bars, oat bars, nut mix, fruit mix, and hard candies (boiled sweets). Nearly all packs offer jam or peanut butter as well.
There are a lot more drinks in each pack (4 packets of instant drink powders, in a choice of six flavors - apple, black currant, exotic, orange, raspberry & tropical), and an envelope of hot chocolate (regular, mint or orange). Also provided are 2 sticks of instant coffee, 3 tea bags, 4 packs of instant creamer, 4 packs of sugar, 3 packs of chewing gum (menthol, peppermint & spearmint), a pack of paper tissues, a wet wipe, matches, a strip of 6 water purification tablets, and a plastic spoon.
Meals are all in retort pouches, ready-to-eat, and may be consumed cold or heated up (i.e. "boil in the bag"). The ration does NOT include a flameless ration heater.

[sodjer]

what,no irish stew .i bet toffee pudding is a big hit in chad

[rationtin440]

The ration does not include a flameless ration heater.

I'm guessing that the crusader mug would be used with the adapter for the folding stove, but I'm not sure if the Irish forces are issued with it.

[sodjer]

hi rationtin 440,ithink the crusader system is a personal buy in the idf,something tells me they have dutch cups and waterbottles(but im not 100%),ive always liked the irish cammo gear(also known as paddyflage),but it is very hard to come by,as the irish government destroys all surplus kit,so your only chance is a swap by a serving soldier

[rationtin440]

Thanks for the reply sodjer! I always thought that the Irish camo was identical to the British, since I assumed that the UK would make an effort to ease supply issues by giving Scotland, Ireland, England, and Wales identical clothing and gear, not thinking that they are all separate countries! duh!! Sorry for any confusion in my attempt to explain my train of thought here.

[Stef]

Hi
their camo (the colours at least) look like the French CCE. I first though the guys on the picture were French.
So sad they don't have whiskey in their rats. The French stopped issuing calva flasks to the troops, so the only civilised country that remains is ...Italy?

[sodjer]

rationtin 440,this can get confussing,there are 2 irelands,a north and a south,the north is a soverign part of the uk(scotland ,england, ireland and wales)and has the british army,the royal air force, and the royal navy.southern ireland or eire(or the free state)is a seperate country and a member of the eu,with it own armed forces.
geography lesson over,its cammo is very similar to french cce,but is different colours(more suited to the far north of europe)the irish kit is different to british(irish use the AUG,brittian uses the SA80),but some of it kit is supplied by uk defence contractors,(webbing ,bergans ect) . davy