The Cavalry Corps team won the Sullivan Cup using the Bradley armoured fighting vehicle – even though the Defence Forces does not have any of them in service
The victorious Defence Forces Cavalry Corps team. (Image: Defence Forces/Óglaigh na hÉireann)
A Defence Forces team has won a top international military competition – despite never having worked on the armoured vehicle used in it.
The team from the Cavalry Corps defeated stiff competition to win the Bradley category of the prestigious 2026 Sullivan Cup in America’s Fort Benning on Friday.
The Bradley is an American Armoured Fighting Vehicle, or AFV, that is not used by the Defence Forces – but the Irish team still won out in the competition.
That was despite never having used the AFV before – and only practising on it for two weeks before the competition kicked off at the famous military base in Georgia.
The Bradley AFV used by the Irish team.(Image: Defence Forces/Óglaigh na hÉireann)
The Irish team defeated six American units – who all used the Bradley every day – to win the award following the two-week competition.
The Irish use the €1 million Mowag armoured cars – which have been in service for 25 years from Lebanon and Syria to Liberia and Eritrea.
Defence Forces Mowag armoured cars in Southern Lebanon.
A Defence Forces spokesman said on Friday: “The purpose of the Sullivan Cup is to identify and recognise the most skilled armoured vehicle crews internationally. The competition consisted of gunnery live fire lanes by day and night, vehicle maintenance, crew knowledge, call for fire, AFV recognition, medical lanes and physical fitness challenges.
“Our team had a two week window to train up in theatre on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle having never used the platform before.
The Irish team won out on Friday after a fortnight.(Image: Defence Forces/Óglaigh na hÉireann)
“After completing two weeks of training successfully, the competition started on 30 APR 26 and the Cavalry Corps emerged as the winners.”
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