The Irish Naval Service's oldest vessel, LÉ Eithne received its primary armament following a refit completed at the Naval Base in Cork Harbour yesterday, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The arnament is a Bofors 57mm Gun which underwent a refit carried out by personnel of the Naval Ordnance Section. Work on the Bofors took place in the maintenance hall of the Naval Dockyard facility also located at the Naval Base on Haulbowline Island.

On completion of the essential work, a truck transported the arnament on the short distance from the Naval Dockyard to the basin where LÉ Eithne was berthed.

In addition to the Bofors, the Helicopter Patrol Vessel (HPV) has secondary arnament consisting of a pair of 20mm Rheinmetall Canons and various small arms ranging from a 9mm Pistol to a 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun.

It was during a previous report on Afloat.ie when LÉ Eithne stood down having assisted the HSE in a support and logistical role at Cork City Quays during the Covid-19 Lock-down, that it was noted (see photo-caption) the absence of the main arnament. Otherwise the Bofors would be mounted on the fo'c'sle of the Verolme Cork Dockyard (VCD) ship completed and commissioned into the INS in 1984.

At the end of LÉ Eithne's role in Cork which took place in late June, LÉ Eithne proceeded downriver of the River Lee to the Naval Base into 'operational reserve' mode as RTE News then reported.

The HPV along with the Coastal Patrol Vessel LÉ Orla were tied-up last year due to a shortage in crew personnal that remains an ongoing issue.

LÉ Orla likewise of the flagship dates to 1984 but the CPV was built in Scotland at the Hall Russell shipyard in Aberdeen and commissioned into the UK's Royal Navy.