Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Defence the extent to which Army, Naval Services and or Air Corps vehicles, vessels or aircraft are upgraded on an annual basis; the extent of any such upgrading in the past three years to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14539/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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In the current economic situation, the acquisition of equipment for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service takes place on a strictly prioritised basis to ensure that the Defence Forces can carry out their roles at home and overseas. In recent years, a number of vehicle purchases took place which included Minibuses, standard patrol vehicles and mid-coaches for troop transportation. The main acquisitions for 2012 will be patrol vehicles for day- to- day operational use in the Defence Forces and a number of ambulances. In addition, funding is provided on a continuous basis for the required maintenance of vehicles in the military transport fleet.

With regard to the Naval Service, a contract for the provision of two new ships was placed with Babcock Marine, UK in October, 2010. The first ship is scheduled for delivery in 2014, the second a year later.

The equipment and aircraft available to the Air Corps are of a high standard and are maintained by the Air Corps in accordance with best practice. The main expenditure in the Air Corps in 2012 relates to the maintenance and Power by the Hour contracts set up to keep the fleet fully operational with specific maintenance work being carried out on the CASA Maritime Patrol Aircraft over the next two years. As was the case in 2010 and 2011, there are no plans to acquire any new aircraft for the Air Corps this year.