Written answers

Thursday, 22 June 2006

Department of Defence

Air Corps Equipment

5:00 pm

Photo of Willie PenroseWillie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 27: To ask the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the frontline aircraft of the Irish Air Corps are not able to match the speed of a regular jet airliner; if he will respond to the attached analysis of military aircraft; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23738/06]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Air Corps is the air component of the Defence Forces and as such its military roles and functions are those of an Army Air Corps rather than a conventional military air service. The Air Corps has traditionally discharged a mix of functions based on the need to supply a range of different services. Over the years a generally favourable security climate resulted in the need for a very limited military air capability. To exceed this capability would require a level of investment in personnel, equipment and infrastructure which could not be justified.

The Government in formulating the White Paper on Defence decided that the broad profile of Air Corps roles would be maintained and that future development of the Air Corps would be determined within policy parameters which set out the general air-based military and non-military capabilities which the State will seek to provide. Aspirations to broaden the range of available air based capabilities have to be balanced against real world constraints. The fact is that, given the enormous costs involved, few small countries possess the ability to provide a comprehensive air based defence capability. The choice must lie between maintaining an essentially token force to address all dimensions of national defence or seeking to perform a selected range of tasks to a professional standard. The latter option has been the one chosen in Ireland.

The Pilatus PC 9 aircraft were obtained as trainer aircraft for the purpose of training pilots in the Air Corps. They are capable of being armed and as such have a limited defensive capability. They are not fighter aircraft and would not be able to match the speed of a civil airliner. As indicated already, the security climate is such that it is considered that there is no need for the Air Corps to acquire fighter aircraft, the cost of which would be prohibitive.

In this connection the Air Corps fleet has been considerably modernized in recent times with the acquisition of two EC 135 helicopters for pilot training, in addition to the eight Pilatus aircraft. A further four AW 139 helicopters will be delivered in 2006/2007 which will permit the Air Corps to participate in military operations involving troop transport. As the document provided by the Deputy does not reflect the policy in this area no useful purpose would be served by commenting on it at this time.

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