Radar coverage ?

[Silver]

What radar coverage does Ireland have ?

Is it limited to a small radius around each airport ?

If so, and we had intercepter jets, could we somehow be linked into the UK's system ?

[Joey d]

Quoting from the same article in the air defence thread:

..."military radar cover is virtually non-existent on the west coast. meaning a hijacked plane could e across Ireland and heading for Sellafield within 10 minutes - before we even knew it was overhead"

[Mark]

Forgive my ignorance, but would Shannon Control, who has full radar coverage throughout Ireland,  not see the aircraft and notify the relevant people?

[futurepilot]

Civilian radar does not see the aircraft but rather the transponder code and if the transponder is turned off then Shannon would not be able to find the aircraft.

[tashkurgan]

"Civilian radar does not see the aircraft but rather the transponder code and if the transponder is turned off then Shannon would not be able to find the aircraft."

Only true for SSR radars - Ireland has 3 PSR radars in the three airport.

Radar coverage of the airspace, for which the Irish Aviation Authority is responsible, is provided from: seven Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) Sensors and three Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR) Sensors, located at Dublin Airport (two co-located MSSR/PSR), Cork Airport (PSR), Mount Gabriel (two  MSSRs), Co. Cork, Shannon Airport (co-located MSSR/PSR), Woodcock Hill (MSSR) Co. Clare, and Dooncarton (MSSR) Co. Mayo. Each MSSR Sensor is equipped with a rotating radar antenna, and dual interrogators, receivers, extractors and trackers. I believe that all MSSR traffic is transmitted over data lines to the Air Traffic Control Centres (Shannon, Dublin, Cork).

[Flyboy]

The transponder is simply used to "squawk" an ID code which is allocated to the aircraft. This will then show against the aircraft return on the radar operator's screen. If the aircraft is not "squawking" then it is an unidentified aircraft. Example: If I am flying an aircraft and I am given a "squawk" code of 2708 by Shannon ATC I dial that into my transponder, the number 2708 will now show against my "blip" on the radar operator's screen. I am now identified to the ATC.

[Mark]

Quote (tashkurgan @ 13 Oct. 2004,01:05)

"Civilian radar does not see the aircraft but rather the transponder code and if the transponder is turned off then Shannon would not be able to find the aircraft." Only true for SSR radars - Ireland has 3 PSR radars in the three airport.

So they would be seen then?

Ultimately it depends on altitude and range. PSR may 'see' a fast moving return way out over the Atlantic at high altitude, but if the same aircraft descends to low altitude (less than 1000 ft) ground clutter creates a problem and the return may be lost. You also get spurious readings and pop up returns that may or may not be there, sometimes generated by flocks of birds and rain showers. Military radars tend to be more discerning and can be enhanced by look down capabilities from airborne platforms, but such a capacity is almost non existant here. If a fast moving jet was to descend to low altitude before crossing the West coast and Shannon noticed that a return and squawk code from a commercial jet had just dropped off the system it would trigger an immediate SAR launch and the transmitting of a mayday as soon as the aircraft could not be raised by ground stations and aircraft. As the situation would no doubt be monitored by British Mil authorities (they listen to more than you think!) any RIO (Radar Intercepting Officer) or similar worth his salt would seek a launch of quick reaction aircraft, such as those that escorted the Greek airliner into Stansted. Once those guys are airborne they stand a much better chance of finding and identifying the 'intruder' before he jumps off the east coast of Ireland. Even at 420 kts, the Irish sea still takes 8 mins to cross. That's a long time in air terms.