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Documents reveal high level discussions in Defence around heavy lift transport aircraft

Ireland’s lack of large military transport aircraft was highlighted in the wake of last year’s Kabul mission.

THE DEPARTMENT OF Defence has begun an exploratory process of purchasing or leasing a specialist troop-carrying cargo aircraft for the Irish Air Corps. 

The issue of Ireland’s lack of large military transport aircraft was highlighted in the wake of the Kabul mission to rescue Irish citizens last August. 

Members of the Army Ranger Wing (ARW), the Irish army’s special forces unit, were dispatched to rescue Irish citizens from the Afghan capital.

French and Finnish aircraft had to be used for their flights to and from the war-torn country, as the Irish Air Corps did not have a long range aircraft suitable for the mission.

According to documents obtained by The Journal, the Department has now entered into discussions on the matter with international aircraft consultancy Altea. 

The company, which has offices across Europe and in Canada, carried out a report for the department and the documents reveal that there were discussions on the purchase of aircraft. 

In an email from March marked “broader strategic air lift opportunity” Altea offered its services in obtaining “troop transportation” aircraft. 

It appears from the document sent on 16 March that discussions were also at an advanced stage on the merits of purchasing a replacement for the ailing Government jet

The Government confirmed last week that is considering replacing the plane. In a statement to this publication Altea confirmed that it was working with the DOD to source alternative options for the Government jet. 

download The Army Ranger team photographed 30 seconds before landing at Kabul last August. Irish Defence Forces Irish Defence Forces

Airlift capacity  

Ireland’s lack of a large troop-carrying aircraft resulted in criticism from a number of quarters last year, including from independent TD Cathal Berry who is a former ARW officer.

At that time Defence Minister Simon Coveney said the strategic lift capability was to be considered as part of an overally review of Ireland’s military capabilities being carried out by the Commission on the Defence Forces. 

Ireland does not have a capacity to move a large amount of personnel long distances and must charter aircraft – for example, when bringing troops home from UN missions.  

Last November The Journal obtained documents which showed that Seraph Air, an aircraft leasing company, had offered second-hand aircraft to fill the role eight months before the Kabul airlift.

The offer was refused as the option for “wider military lift capability” had not been identified in the Defence Forces’ five-year Equipment Development Plan (EDP). 

polish-air-force-casa-c-295m-light-military-cargo-plane A Polish Air Force CASA 295. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

The EDP is, according to Government: “A plan for the continued re-equipment of the Defence Forces. It is being funded under the National Development Plan – Project Ireland 2040″.

Tender

The lack of interest in a heavy lift aircraft now appears to have changed and at an 11 January meeting to discuss the EDP, according to heavily redacted documents obtained by The Journal, such a plane was listed among nine potential equipment purchases for the Air Corps.

Listed as a request for inclusion in an EDP tender process were two CASA 295 to fulfil the heavy lifting role. There was also mention of two new AW 139 Helicopters. 

This meeting was chaired by a Major General Adrian Ó Murchú. The CASA 295 is the same aircraft as mentioned in the later Altea memo. The AW 139 Helicopters are medium lift aircraft and are used for the Athlone based Air Ambulance and troop transport. 

In a November 2021 email, also heavily redacted by the FOI officer, the helicopters and the CASA 295 aircraft were listed as “new submissions”.  

52115387147_35ec68409d_o An Air Corps Augusta Westland helicopter. Irish Defence Forces Irish Defence Forces

The meeting came a month before the publication of the Commission on the Defence Forces in which strong emphasis was placed on the purchase of transport aircraft to move troops. 

This procurement of the CASA aircraft is a different process to the replacement of maritime patrol aircraft – those two aircraft are in the final stages of manufacture and will be delivered in 2023.

In the lengthy email sent by an Altea consultant the company mentioned that two pre-owned C295 aircraft were available for “immediate acquisition or lease”. 

The planes mentioned in the email were MSN 166 and MSN 167 – The Journal has learned that the aircraft appear to be in North Africa. 

A detailed breakdown of the aircraft’s capabilities were given as well as the ability to transform them into passenger or cargo capability. Each one could potentially could carry 69 troops as well as a crew member. The aircraft could also be used for the medical evacuation of injured personnel. 

The email states in bold: “We should clarify that the C295s are essentially for troop transportation and aren’t suitable to replace the Learjet”. 

The ‘Learjet’ reference is in regard to the Government jet which has recently suffered technical problems, forcing the Taoiseach to avail of the CASA maritime patrol aircraft to ferry him back from Brussels. 

The Learjet has been out of action for repair in recent months and has been unavailable for 35% of the year to date. 

The Air Corps Learjet was purchased in 2004 and has been in operation for 17 years. 

The Government once had two jets, but the Gulfstream IV plane was sold in 2017 for €418,000.

There was controversy at the time over the sale price, given that the jet was valued at somewhere in the region of €750,000. It was bought in 1992 for €45 million.

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In the March email the Altea representative, whose name has been redacted, states that the matter is to be discussed at a Defence meeting on the following Monday, 21 March. 

A number of sources confirmed that the issue of cargo aircraft purchase had been discussed in high level Department of Defence and Irish Defence Forces meetings. 

In response to a query the Department of Defence reissued a previous statement and said no decisions had been made around the acquisition of aircraft.

“Equipment priorities for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are being considered in the context of the lifetime of the White Paper on Defence as part of the capability development and Equipment Development Planning (EDP) process.

“A five year Equipment Development Plan for continued re-equipment was developed on a civil military basis and was published in June 2020. The overall priorities in the Equipment Development Plan remain under review, as it is progressively implemented and taking account of funding availability.

“No decisions have been made for the acquisition of additional aircraft or helicopters,” a spokesperson said.

Andrew Butler, a founding partner of Altea, confirmed the company were working with the DOD on providing ministerial air transport. 

“For your information, Altea have been engaged by the Minister for Defence for the provision of aviation consultancy services relating to the sourcing of contingency arrangements (charter flights etc), for the Irish Ministerial Air Transport Service – our Customer.

“Any further details you require regarding this engagement should be directed in the first instance to the Customer. Thank you for your understanding in this matter,” he said. 

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    Mute Ray Quinn
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    Jun 12th 2022, 6:49 AM

    In 1980 I was one of almost 700 Irish troops posted to serve with United Nations force in Lebanon, ( UNIFIL). The battle At Tiri, murder of 2 of our soldiers and the declaration of a blood fund against all Irish personnel occurred a few days before our departure from Ireland. In essence, the blood fued meant that Irish soldiers would be killed immediately if captured by the Israeli backed militia.Because our Defence Forces did not have a heavy lift aircraft we had to travel in a chartered civilian plane. As a consequence we could not carry weapons. So we were dispatched unarmed into a war zone with a blood fued declared against us. It is shameful that more than 40 years later our airlift capability is still the same.

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    Mute Bobby Jones
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    Jun 12th 2022, 7:12 AM

    @Ray Quinn: I’m not really surprised by this, my father was in the army 25+ years and says when in was abroad on tour in the Congo they had piss all. They (the irish troops) use to get supplies of the usa troops. We need to to better for our troops and we do need equipment. Will it happen ? I’m not sure it will. We are all talk and no action. Thank you for you’re service.

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    Mute Locojoe
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    Jun 12th 2022, 10:04 AM

    @Ray Quinn: It must not have been a big deal at the time. I do not remember it ?

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    Mute Declan Kelly
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    Jun 12th 2022, 11:38 AM

    @Locojoe:2 Irish soldiers murdered in cold blood. Fairly sure it was a big deal at the time.

    34
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    Mute Robert Redmond
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    Jun 12th 2022, 1:19 PM

    @Locojoe: Derek Smallhorne and Thomas Barrett, kidnapped and murdered by Mahmoud Bazzi, who was sentenced to 15 years in 2020, 40 years later. It was a big deal for their families and anybody who served.

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    Mute Eoin Roche
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    Jun 12th 2022, 1:07 AM

    It’s like so many previous examples of equipment deficiencies in the Defence Forces, the Government have to be embarrassed into doing something, when they are shown up. This time it was the Kabul airlift and having to get a lift from the French and Finns, in years past it was anti-aircraft defences and Armoured Personnel Carriers and anti-armour weapons, all found to be lacking when something went down on a UN mission or in a security incident at home. Not until they let professional Military planners take over such planning from the amateur pen pushers and bean counters at the DoD will that change.

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    Mute JG
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    Jun 12th 2022, 12:54 AM

    It’s absolutely bananas that in 2022, with Russia eating our Intel, China eating our Intel, and we at the most strategic location between East and west, that we are relying on hocus pocus pretend we are OK and neutral crap. Build a real military response vehicle before we are the cause of EU being damaged further

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    Mute Bobby Jones
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    Jun 12th 2022, 4:28 AM

    @JG: Really… so not only are we responsible for the world’s climate, we’re responsible for the eu been damaged,/ been attacked I presume. Unreal. Emojis the journal please.

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    Mute Michael Nolan
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    Jun 12th 2022, 7:30 AM

    @Bobby Jones: more fear the fear talk with a couple of suedo army words thrown in .. why don’t they all f off and join the foreign legion… The dead don’t think about what army they fought for .

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    Mute Colette Kearns
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    Jun 12th 2022, 2:40 AM

    If only the powers that be could concentrate on peace & harmony & put the trillions of $$$ used to kill inocent people into looking after people with proper food /health/ education for( literally) everyone on the planet to have a better life x

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    Mute Michael Nolan
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    Jun 12th 2022, 7:33 AM

    @Colette Kearns: amen to that sister …but ur wasting ur tiime….pro ff fg bots on here slinging the usual we need more guns and bombs

    42
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    Mute Seamus O'Corcorain
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    Jun 12th 2022, 12:27 PM

    @Michael Nolan: While tankies like yourself try to convince everyone that we have nothing to fear from Russia, is that right?

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    Mute Bobby Jones
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    Jun 12th 2022, 1:49 PM

    @Seamus O’Corcorain: what’s “thankies” ?

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    Mute Bobby Jones
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    Jun 12th 2022, 1:54 PM

    @Bobby Jones: sorry tankies. Edited button the journal. (Angry face) and emojis.

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    Mute Michael Nolan
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    Jun 12th 2022, 10:18 PM

    @Seamus O’Corcorain: youl probably get hit by a car or bus quicker then the Russians invading Ireland…your a tank stain . That sounds a bit better ..don’t y think

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    Mute Des Hanrahan
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    Jun 12th 2022, 3:29 AM

    The CASA 295 is neither long range nor heavy lift. The Airbus A400M is, but has an appropriate price tag. The Boeing C130 is regarded as medium range etc. and is more affordable but is an old design.

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    Mute Kerry Evans
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    Jun 12th 2022, 6:45 AM

    What kind of insanity is this
    We need that money for Health and Housing…
    Nurses and teachers…
    No to Nato
    What part of that do FFG not get?

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Jun 12th 2022, 7:28 AM

    @Kerry Evans: in your opinion of course as you do not speak for everyone. Putin has changed things, we need to step up and do something about the ability to be able to defend ourselves otherwise nothing else will matter.

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    Mute Michael Nolan
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    Jun 12th 2022, 7:37 AM

    @Kerry Evans: the same politicians in the states that are sending weapons to Ukraine are the very same politicians that are crying out for gun control in there own country. …

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    Mute Kerry Evans
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    Jun 12th 2022, 9:39 AM

    @Michael Nolan:
    ?

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    Mute Ciaran Burke
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    Jun 12th 2022, 11:47 AM

    @Kerry Evans: we need to have a defence budget & teachers get enough money. They are always moaning they don’t get enough. We have to look after defence too. We can do both things Ireland is a wealthy country. Our soldiers are grossly under paid & equipped. Our navy is stuck in the harbour & can’t patrol our seas embarrassing, our air corps are using planes so old they couldn’t catch the pigeon. We have neglected defence for too long we have poor radar systems. No Sam’s & very little artillery. No drones, very little anti tank capability. It’s time to properly equip them because when something happens, it will be too late then. We spend 9.8 billion on education, we spend less than 1 billion on the DF & our troop numbers are not enough to protect Dublin let alone the country in a crisis.

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    Mute James Daly
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    Jun 12th 2022, 7:29 AM

    Apart from the Kabul situation and Ray Quinn’s example from 42 years ago (above), how often has Ireland really needed a heavy to medium-lift troop / cargo / CasEvac aircraft? Surely the more pressing issues with our Defence Forces is to use available or increased funding to pay our troops and support members better, to stop the ongoing drain and recruitment issues? Or instead, establish a national radar grid so we can properly monitor our own territory? While of course it would be nice to have a transport aircraft, it hardly seems to be the most pressing need for our forces at this moment in time. @Ray Quinn, much respect to you and your fellow soldiers for your service, and I clearly have no idea what it was really like, but do you genuinely believe being tooled-up on that flight would have changed things?

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    Mute Y U no spell good?
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    Jun 12th 2022, 8:06 AM

    @James Daly: Quick answer off the top of my head. Ireland would need heavy lift aircraft for… At least two battalion sized troop rotations each year (which is currently done by charter), let’s say a bi monthly resupply for those troops which is another 12 flights to mission areas (currently done by commercial means), diplomatic transport (currently no capability), backup to ministerial transport, evacuation of Irish citizens (needed in Kabul, Mali, Ethiopia and probably more I don’t know about over the past two years), was required to transport PPE during COVID, could be equipped for aerial firefighting (no national airplane capability).. I’m sure there’s more I can’t think of

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    Mute Gert McNulty
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    Jun 12th 2022, 2:18 AM

    Harvey lift building supplies. For houses . For normal people maybe ??

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    Mute Bricesypherthron Smith
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    Jun 12th 2022, 8:38 AM

    Gotta keep pushing this EU Army agenda, eh Journal? Have to keep that funding

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    Mute Tom Bombdadil
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    Jun 12th 2022, 12:50 AM

    That’s a heavy lift discussion

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