List of aircraft of the Irish Air Corps
This list identifies the military aircraft which are currently being operated, on order, or have formerly been operated by the Irish Air Corps.
Current Irish military aircraft
[edit]Military aircraft currently in active service, or on order, with the Irish Air Corps are as follows:
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maritime Patrol | ||||||
| CASA CN-235 | Spain | Maritime patrol | MPA 100 | 0 (2) | Currrently in storage awaiting sale, replaced by the C295. | |
| Airbus C295 | Spain | Maritime patrol | MSA | 2[1][2] | Replaced the CN-235. | |
| Reconnaissance | ||||||
| Pilatus PC-12 | Switzerland | Surveillance | PC-12NG | 3[1][2][3] | Three 'SPECTRE' surveillance variants[4] | |
| Transport | ||||||
| Learjet 45 | United States | Executive transport | 1[2][5] | To be replaced by the Falcon 6X. | ||
| Pilatus PC-12 | Switzerland | Surveillance | PC-12NG | 1[1][2][3] | One utility variant[6] | |
| Airbus C295 | Spain | Transport | C295W | 0 (1) | One on order[7][1] | |
| Falcon 6X | France | Executive transport | 0 (1) | One on order for delivery in 2025 to replace the Learjet 45.[8][9] | ||
| Helicopter | ||||||
| Eurocopter EC135 | Germany | Utility / trainer | EC135 P2 | 2[2][10][1] | ||
| AgustaWestland AW139 | Italy | Utility | 6[2][11][1] | |||
| Airbus H145 | Germany | Utility / trainer | EC145M | 0 (4) | Four on order for delivery from 2027 to replace the EC135.[12] | |
| Trainer | ||||||
| Pilatus PC-9 | Switzerland | Trainer / CAS | PC-9M | 8[2][13][1] | One hull lost in 2009 was replaced in 2017[14] | |
| Police air support | ||||||
| Britten-Norman Defender | United Kingdom | Police air support | 4000 | 1[1][2][15] | Flown for the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU)[16] | |
| Eurocopter EC135 | Germany | Police air support | EC135 T2 | 2[2][17] | Flown for the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU)[16] | |
| Airbus H145 | Germany | Utility / trainer | EC145M | 0 (1) | One on order for delivery from 2025 to replace one EC135. | |
| DHC-6 Twin Otter | Canada | Police air support | Guardian 400 | 0 (1) | One on order for the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU) to replace the Britten-Norman Defender.[18][19] | |
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Retired Irish military aircraft
[edit]A few examples of former Air Corps aircraft are retained in the Air Corps Museum in Baldonnel. These include an Avro Anson, An Alouette III and a Fouga Magister. A De Havilland Vampire and a Miles Magister are on display in the National Museum in Collins Barracks (Dublin).[20]
Military aircraft which have been withdrawn from service with the Irish Air Corps include the following:
Fighter and attack aircraft
[edit]
- Bristol F.2B Fighter – 8× 1922–1935[21][22][23]
- Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard – 4× 1922–1929[24]
- RAE S.E.5a – 1× 1922 (destroyed by the IRA during Civil War)
- Bristol F.2B Fighter Mk II – 8× 1925–1935[23]
- Gloster Gladiator I – 4× 1938–1944 (1× crashed 1938, 1× crashed 1944, 2× retired 1943, 12 more ordered but not delivered during The Emergency)[23][25]
- Hawker Hurricane I – 12× 1940–1946 (1× RAF crash-landed in Ireland 1940 and repaired by Air Corps, 11× delivered 1943)[23]
- Hawker Hurricane IIa – 1× 1941–1943 (RAF force-landed in Ireland)
- Hawker Hurricane IIb – 1× 1941–1943 (RAF crash-landed in Ireland)
- Hawker Hurricane IIc – 6× 1945–1947[23]
- Supermarine V.S. 506 Seafire LF.III – 12× 1947–1955[26]
Bombers
[edit]- De Havilland DH.9 – 6× [24]
- Fairey Battle TT.I – 1x Irish Air Corps interned 1 ex-RAF target tug in 1942. It was in use as a target tug from 1944 to 1946.[23]
- Hawker Hind and Hind Trainer[23]
- Lockheed Hudson I (also used for maritime patrol duties)[27]
Reconnaissance and patrol aircraft
[edit]- CASA CN-235M-100 – 2x 1994-2023
- Cessna FR172H – 8× FR172H, 1× FR172K 1972-2019
- Fairey IIIF Mk II
- Supermarine V.S. 236 Walrus I – 3× from 1939[28][23]
Transport and liaison aircraft
[edit]
- Avro 652A Anson I and C19[23]
- Avro 626 Prefect (also served as a navigation trainer)
- Hawker Siddeley HS.125-600B and -700B
- Beechcraft Super King Air 200T - 3x [29]
- De Havilland DH.84 Dragon 2
- De Havilland DH.104 Dove Mk 4, Mk 5, Mk 7, and Mk 8A[29]
- Grumman G1159A Gulfstream III – 1x (leased)
- Gulfstream IV – 1x [30]
- Hawker Hector
- Martinsyde Type A Mk II
- Vickers Type 193 Vespa IV and Type 208 Vespa V
- Westland Lysander II – x6 [23][31]
Trainer aircraft
[edit].jpg)
- Avro 504K – 6× 1922–1932[32]
- Avro 621 Tutor[33]
- Avro 631 Cadet (also used for coastal patrol duties)
- Avro 636
- De Havilland DH.60 Cirrus I Moth
- De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.20 and T.22A[29]
- De Havilland DH.115 Vampire T.55[29] – 6× 1956–1976
- Fouga CM-170-2 Super Magister – 6× 1975–1999[29]
- Hunting Percival Provost T.51 and T.53
- Miles M.14A Magister[23]
- Miles M.25 Martinet TT.I
- Miles M.9A Master I and M.19 Master II[23]
- SIAI-Marchetti SF-260D and SF-260WE Warrior – 10x 1977-
- Supermarine V.S. 509 Spitfire T.9 – 6× 1951–1961
Helicopters
[edit]
- Aérospatiale Alouette III – 8x 1963-2007. Replaced by AW139s[34][35]
- Aérospatiale SA330J Puma – 1x leased from Aérospatiale for 2 years during the early 1980s[36][37]
- Aérospatiale SA342L Gazelle – 2x 1980-2005.[38]
- Aérospatiale SA365Fi Dauphin II – 5x 1986-2006
- Sikorsky S-61N – 1x Previously leased and operated by IAC for Search & Rescue/Coast Guard.[39] Subsequently, returned to CHC Ireland who operated it in a similar capacity for the IRCG.
- Eurocopter Twin Squirrel AS355N – 1x 1997-2008 Operated by IAC for Garda Air Support Unit until replaced by second EC135T in January 2008.[40]
References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h Hoyle, Craig (2023). "World Air Forces 2024". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Defence Forces - Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 May 2024". oireachtas.ie. Houses of the Oireachtas. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Pilatus PC-12". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Irish Air Corps New PC-12's Arrive in Baldonnel". flyinginireland.com. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Learjet 45". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Air Corps to Take Delivery of Pilatus PC-12 Today". flyinginireland.com. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Third Airbus Defence C295 Confirmed for the Air Corps". flyinginireland.com. 12 March 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Tánaiste confirms contract award of new Strategic Reach Aircraft". gov.ie. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "Government announces deal signed for new €53m French built Government Jet". thejournal.ie. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "EC135 P2". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "AW139". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Dept reaches deal to buy new helicopters, at a cost of over €90m". www.rte.ie. 30 December 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
- ^ "Pilatus PC-9M". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Air Corps receive new Pilatus PC-9M". flyinginireland.com. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "PBN Defender". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ a b "The Garda Air Support Unit". garda.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "EC135 T2". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Garda purchases sophicated surveillance aircraft from Canadian manufacturer". irishtimes.ie. 2024-08-03. Archived from the original on 2024-08-15. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
- ^ "De Havilland Canada's Twin Otter Guardian Aircraft Chosen for Enhanced Operational Capabilities". dehavilland.com. 2024-07-23. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
- ^ Tony Canavan (January 2007). "Museum Eye – Soldiers and chiefs, the Irish at war – National Museum of Ireland Collins Barracks, Dublin". Reviews. 15 (1). History Ireland.
- ^ Byrne 1980, p. 52.
- ^ O'Malley 2010, p. 57.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l MacCarron 2012, p. 20.
- ^ a b MacCarron 2012, p. 18.
- ^ "Irish Army Air Corps use of the Gloster Gladiator during the Second World War". Håkan Gustavsson. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
- ^ Byrne 1980, p. 62.
- ^ McIvor 1994, p. 83.
- ^ O'Malley 2010, p. 148.
- ^ a b c d e "Air Corps Museum Collection (1918-2004)". Irish Military Archives. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Government jet sold to US company". RTE. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- ^ O'Malley 2010, p. 205.
- ^ McIvor 1994, p. 42.
- ^ "Military Archives – Image Database – IE/MA/ACPS/GPN/001 – Glass plate negatives of a ground image of an Avro 621". MilitaryArchives.ie. Defence Forces. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Alouettes set for final missions". Irish Times. 28 July 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
- ^ "New Wings for the Irish Air Corps". Air-Scene UK. May 2008. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
- ^ "Up, up and away . . . why our Air Corps are getting plenty of lift". Independent News & Media. 4 July 2000. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "N86-1981- Air Corp Helicopters - Air Corps Takes Delivery Of Puma Helicoptor - July 1981". Irish Photo Archive. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Gazelle Retired" (PDF). An Cosantóir – Defence Forces Magazine. Irish Defence Forces. March 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2022.
On December 31st 2005 the last flight of Air Corps Gazelle 241 over Casement Aerodrome marked the end of 25 years of service
- ^ "Air Corps withdrawn from rescue work". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. 11 October 2004. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
[T]he Government is formally withdrawing the Air Corps from all helicopter search-and-rescue today [..] and will be relieved by the contract company CHC Helicopters in a week's time [..] The Sikorsky S-61 helicopter leased for the Air Corps in Sligo was returned several weeks ago
- ^ "Second Garda helicopter takes to air". Irish Times. 15 January 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
Sources
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aircraft of the Irish Air Corps.
- Byrne, Liam (1980). History of Aviation in Ireland. Blackwater Press. ISBN 9780905471105.
- Morgan, Eric B. & Burnet, Charles (December 1981 – March 1982). "Walrus... Amphibious Angel of Mercy". Air Enthusiast (17): 13–25. ISSN 0143-5450.
- O'Malley, Michael C (2010). Military Aviation in Ireland, 1921-45. University College Dublin Press. ISBN 9781906359485.
- MacCarron, Donal (2012). The Irish Defence Forces since 1922. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781780963914.
- McIvor, Aidan (1994). A History of the Irish Naval Service. Irish Academic Press. ISBN 9780716525233.
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