Incident Response Regiment | |
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Active | May 2002 to Present |
Country | Australia |
Branch | Australian Army |
Type | Special Forces |
Role | Counter-Terrorism, Counter-CBRNE and Engineer support to Special Operations |
Motto | Inter Hastas Et Hostes ("Between Spears and Enemies") |
The Incident Response Regiment (IRR) is the Australian Army's premier Special Operations Engineer capability. The Regiment forms part of the Special Operations Command. Its mission is to provide specialist response to threats involving chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear and/or explosive (CBRNE) hazards. This includes other hazardous material which may be used to threaten Australians and Australia's national interests. The IRR is also an integral part of Australia's Domestic Counter-Terrorism capability.
The IRR consists of about 300 military and civilian personnel (including Army reservists) and includes intelligence, signals, medical, nursing, ordnance, transport, electrical and mechanical engineers, scientists and other logistics officers. The Regiment is defensive and protective by design, yet still keeps an elite offensive capability. Members of the IRR do not have to pass through special forces selection or entry tests to join the unit, but in-house physical fitness tests have been developed.
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The IRR is able to respond to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive incidents both domestically and in support of Australian Special Forces deployed overseas in high threat environments.
IRR personnel are able to conduct high risk searches with detection equipment and dogs, disarm and dispose of a device, decontaminate and treat victims and the exposed area and analyse the hazardous material on site.
As a rapid response organisation, elements of the Regiment are maintained on short notices to move to incident sites at all times.
The Incident Response Regiment can trace its history to a number of specialist Royal Australian Engineers organisations - The Emergency Response Squadron was initially formed in 1999 from the existing Army Fire Service in response to the 1996 Blackhawk Helicopter disaster in the Townsville High Range training area. The Chemical, Biological and Radiological Response (CBRR) Squadron was formed in 1999 by expanding the existing Chemical Radiological Response Team.
The Incident Response Regiment is based on the Joint Incident Response Unit (JIRU) which was established in 2000 as part of the Australian Defence Force's security arrangements for the Sydney Olympic Games. The JIRU incorporated the CBRR Squadron and also included a High Risk Search Squadron. When the JIRU was disbanded in March 2001 the CBRR Squadron was retained as an independent squadron.
Following the 11 September terrorist attacks the CBRR Squadron was incorporated into the newly established Incident Response Unit (IRU). The IRU was expanded and redesignated to form the Incident Response Regiment in May 2002. This expansion involved the Emergency Response Squadron(ERS) joining the Regiment (to make up manpower), then it was promptly disbanded in 2006, and the formation of a specialist Scientific and Technical Support Organisation (which is staffed by civilian and military scientists).
As well as maintaining a Domestic Counter-Terrorism capability, the IRR currently deploys highly trained combat engineers in support of Australian Special Forces operations throughout the world, including the current deployment to Afghanistan.
Incident Response Regiment is a unit of the Australian Special Operations Command, along side the Special Air Service Regiment and Commando Regiments.
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