Future Air Corps ORBAT

[Silver]

The following Order of Battle (ORBAT) is what I predict the Air Corps will have in the next 5-10 years.

8 x Pilatus PC-9M.
3 x Cessna Caravan (or similar).
2 x CASA.
2 x VIP Jets.
8 x Eurocopter EC135.
6 x Sikorsky S92.
2 x EC120B (or similar).

(An outside possibility of 8 x Aero L-159's and one extra CASA).

I'm not saying that this is the ORBAT I would like to see - just a realistic prediction.

Silver.

[irishsamourai]

16 gripen
 8 pilatus pc9m
 3 MP casa
 3 C130H
 2 VIP Coporate jet
 9 ec135 => 3 per army brigade
 6 s92  3 for SAR , 3 for army
 3 ec120b

a dream , may be one day
but silver, i think you have the better option    '>

[Irish Marine]

Silver, I think what you have is what might happen, I dont see much taking place with all the cuts being proposed. Sad times indeed for the future of the Irish Aircorps. '>  '>  '>

[Imshi-Yallah]

Go to the think tank at Irishmilitary.com to see my latest suggestions, be interested in your input

[Imshi-Yallah]

Ah I might as well save you the journey...heres a recent sample of my ideas on Rotary wing aviation:

Rotary aviation
In the process of developing my second draft DF 2010 I've dramatically scaled back the spending required but I still believe that the current official ambitions are too limited and even in terms of the service provision/efficiency arguments sometimes put forward are gross mismanagement.
In order to optimise the utility of the aircorp while still ensuring the provision of neccesary civil authority aviation capability I've been working on the following proposition:

1. The establishment of a civil state aviation authority ( a private public partnership) consisting of a joint civil military helicopter training school, operating in this example 2-3 EC-135 light twins(from Baldonnel); a GASU consisting of 2 EC-135; and 3 regional HEMS services each comprised of 2 EC-135s.

2. That the AC provides pilot placements with this authority on their retirement and entry into the AC pilot reserve.

3.That basic training of aircorps cadets is provided by the authority freeing the Aircorps from an obligation to operate dedicated trainer airframes in place of more capable types, also the creation of a long overdue HEMS service will relieve the corps of many non military roles allowing it to concentrate on defense related tasks more efficiently although there is no reason why it could not provide the same emergency assistance as any other military air arm does.

4.That the aircorps operates six medium lift, SAR/MPA helicopters equipped with search radar and winch and partly funded by the EU for their fishery protection role. (in this case the EC-725)

5.That the aircorps also operates 6 medium lift helicopters in the troop transport role, in this example the simplified low cost Cougar 100. (which maintains very high commonality with the EC-725 its more complex enhanced brother)

5.That the aircorps operates 9 multirole helicopters, 6 assault transports and 3 armed naval variants, in this example the EC-155B (Panther Assault transport) and AS-565SB (Panther Naval helicopter converted from existing Irish AS-365N2 airframes).

6. Air corps rotary aviation will be divided into two Army co-op and advanced flying training squadrons and the Naval service Co-op squadron undertaking SAR/MPA (EC-725), and Interdiction/defence tasks (Panther).

In this configuration the aircorps will retain its traditional SAR role, while enhancin its value as a maritime interdiction force and with radar guided ASM's introduce an anti-ship capability which significantly enhance the NS's ability to intimidate transgressors, it will also have sufficient personnel and airframes of suitable quality to provide a high level of army co-op training and operational support; the two army co-op squadrons described here could at full strength lift a battalion in less than three full lifts meaning in realworld terms that they have the capacity for company level air operations a major leap forward for the DF.
Finally the establishment of a civil aviation command, reduces training costs for the air corps, and provides better targeted HEMS services while keeping former military pilots in easy reach and practice.

Please post feedback at
http://www.irishmilitary.com/vb....did=172