Messages

16

Irish Air Corps / more cuts

« on: May 04, 2003, 12:59:04 pm »

more cuts  .....IRELAND'S ability to take part in the new European Rapid Reaction Force has been weakened by a series of cutbacks in Government spending, including a plan to equip the Army with a fleet of new armoured vehicles.

In the latest budget cuts by the Department of Defence, because of the worsening financial situation, two major equipment programmes have been 'deferred' for several years, while others have been cancelled or reduced.

The deferment or cancellation include:

* Deferring a plan to buy up to 65 light-armoured vehicles at a cost of up to €20m

* Deferring a replacement programme for thousands of 40-year-old FN pistols - modern Sig P-226 weapons would have been bought at a cost of €630 each

* Cutting a second order for Mowag armoured personnel carriers from 40 to 25, saving €19m

* Cancelling a plan for five large helicopters for search-and-rescue and troop transport at a cost of up to €100m "due to budgetary constraints".

Defence Minister Michael Smith announced the investment programmes for light-armoured vehicles (LAVs) and pistol replacement in 2001 but yesterday the Department of Defence admitted they had been "deferred" for budgetary reasons.

A spokesman was unable to say when they would be purchased. Officially, the Department line is that no equipment has been promised to the Rapid Reaction Force which is planned to be operational this year, simply a commitment of a light infantry battalion of 750 soldiers and a 40-strong Ranger platoon.

   from the sunday indo

..

17

Irish Air Corps / more cuts

« on: May 09, 2003, 08:05:44 pm »

poor ff blunders again. program and programme are just
two spelling variations of the same word . now do the right thing ff and apologize to mr irish marine.there is no such thing as a  S- 60 . sorry about that one as well.

18

Irish Air Corps / more cuts

« on: May 06, 2003, 12:18:01 pm »

sorry more of ther same news , different packaging
from mondays indo .
PLANS to buy a fleet of light armoured vehicles (LAVs) for the Army for use on UN or European Rapid Reaction Force missions have been shelved because of budgetary cutbacks.

With a purchase of up to 65 armoured vehicles costing €20m "deferred" for several years, Irish soldiers given peacemaking or peace-enforcing roles abroad by the Government will have to make do with ordinary Nissan Patrol jeeps for patrolling or reconnaissance.

The Army had tested one likely armoured vehicle, the Swiss-made Mowag Eagle, on routine patrols and at Mondello Park.

But in the latest moves by the Department of Defence a second programme to replace thousands of 40-year old FN pistols has also been put on the back burner.

The decisions come after the department cut a second order for Mowag armoured personnel carriers from 40 to 25 saving €19m; and cancelled a plan for five large helicopters for search and rescue and troop transport at a cost of up to €100m "due to budgetary constraints."

Defence Minister Michael Smith announced the investment programmes for light armoured vehicles and pistol replacement in 2001. A spokesman was unable to say when they would be purchased.

Officially, the department line is that no equipment has been promised to the Rapid Reaction Force which is planned to be operational this year, simply a commitment of a light infantry battalion of 750 soldiers and a 40 strong Ranger platoon.

But in reality the Army is training and preparing a mechanised light infantry battalion using 63 Mowag Piranha armoured personnel carriers, backed up by 81mm mortars and other equipment for the Rapid Reaction Force and the UN standby commitment.

The LAVs had been a key priority for the new infantry battalion group but others such as night vision equipment, radios, a field hospital, engineering equipment and anti-armour weapons have been met. Twenty-five, instead of 40, Piranha amoured personnel carriers, will also be bought.


Don Lavery


 what can one say... SFA... untill we get rid of this bunch of corrupts  !!!

19

Irish Air Corps / Should the Defence Forces Sign up to any Military?

« on: May 17, 2003, 01:51:33 pm »

NATO would be the absolute last resort , with us with zero input and everything orchestrated by the superpower
3000 miles away .thanks , but no thanks .   '>

20

Irish Air Corps / Your opinion of IrishAirPics.com

« on: September 25, 2003, 07:47:46 pm »

superb site frank , excellent !!

21

Irish Air Corps / Beech loses engine!

« on: October 03, 2003, 08:11:04 pm »

yes imshi ,you are right on the money with the saab 340 ,excellent both for training purposes and mats . there are lots of them around and for relatively short money

22

Irish Air Corps / Visiting A/C

« on: October 03, 2003, 08:17:19 pm »

heres hoping they o/h the two sf260 and keep the rest of them in service for the indefinite future

23

Irish Air Corps / F-16's for the don!?

« on: September 16, 2003, 06:48:04 pm »

and i would have to agree with that assessment ,as would most straight shooters . '>

24

Irish Air Corps / Alternate force structure

« on: August 02, 2003, 01:30:41 pm »

and small talk it shall remain ,matey , very small talk indeed !! :'>

25

Irish Air Corps / I'am  Back.

« on: April 20, 2003, 05:49:39 pm »

you are dreaming again ff  but its a fairly harmless pasttime
 , so why not ?

26

Irish Air Corps / berties jet

« on: May 25, 2003, 02:51:17 pm »

No cash left to pay for Bertie's new jet
 


DON LAVERY

TENDERS to supply the Government with two new executive jets which could cost up to €60m have to be in by Friday - but the Department of Defence has no money with which to buy them.

Although both new jets are supposed to be in service by October 1, the Government still hasn't figured out how to pay for them. Defence Minister Michael Smith has admitted that there is no money in the 2003 Defence Vote to acquire the planes and conceded that "additional funding will have to be identified".

Tenders must be in by Friday and will deal with new, or second-hand planes which can be bought outright, leased, lease purchased or other arrangements made.

The larger of the two new jets will replace the Gulfstream 4 and must be able to carry at least 25 passengers with a crew of five; the second jet will be able to carry seven passengers. and will replace the Beechcraft King Air plane.


from the indo :'>

27

Irish Air Corps / 8-ship helecopter formation

« on: August 14, 2003, 03:01:33 am »

http://www.irishmilitaryonline.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=1353&goto=newpost

its a shame we dont know and we can't blame frank , he being too nice . are there any volunteers out there ?

28

Irish Air Corps / more cuts aris is aris

« on: June 23, 2003, 03:08:30 pm »

Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte has claimed that any further cutbacks in the Air Corps could end up creating a false economy. Mr Rabbitte was reacting to the news that the Government has cancelled the purchase of five medium-lift helicopters for the Air Corps. The Labour leader, who met representatives of the Defence Forces today, said the cancellation was a clear breach of commitments made in a white paper on defence three years ago. He added that existing cutbacks had already affected staff morale and warned that further "down-sizing" could undermine the Air Corps as a whole.

as always ,berties needs come first !!

29

Irish Air Corps / PC-9

« on: May 24, 2003, 05:56:52 pm »

yep , she's a dreamland type of gal , our ff. poor thing. '>

30

Irish Air Corps / Garda Helicopters.

« on: May 17, 2003, 02:17:31 pm »

me thinks the ec-135 was another blunder , it has such little
range or endurance .one has to ask was there any thinking involved in this choice .must have been the same people who screwed up the options for the dauphin 2's '>