Fighter Jets for the Air Corps -

[Silver]

It would seem the issue of fighter jets - or lack of same - is once again raising it head in the Irish media due to the recent terrorist threat foiled in the UK.

An article over on IMO quotes O' Dea as saying (words to the this effect) "...jets would cost us €65m each..."

There is also an excellent article by journalist Michael Mulqueen which is very informative (and with little jargon) ....for the general public to understand that 8 x PC-9M's are just not good enough for our air defence needs.

[Frank]

Any links to the article you mentioned?

[Silver]

Hi Frank,
Both are over on IMO (I don't know how to paste them here).

or

Link to Indo ?

[Fouga]

just copy what you type in in your browser bar!

[The Blue Max]

http://www.irishmilitaryonline.com/board....t132431


The Above is the link posted on Irish Military Online which itself is an extract from article wrote by Don Lavery in Irish Independent.

It also quotes that the IAC were offered second hand jet trainers that could serve in the intercept role for $1 million each by a company, Does anybody have any further information on this or what type of aircraft they were?

[Turkey]

AFAIK they were L39ZA's a fine aircraft in it's intended role.......
....which is not an interceptor.    '>

[Fouga23]

Buy Grippen's

[warthog]

add a pair of sidewinders to two of the pc-9's
we could do this very quickly with minimum cost,it's certainly be an improvement over what we have now

[Silver]

Quote (warthog @ 13 Aug. 2006,03:32)

add a pair of sidewinders to two of the pc-9's we could do this very quickly with minimum cost,it's certainly be an improvement over what we have now

Would this be a feasible option ? How much extra weight would it add?...i.e. limit range and speed?


Something which has yet to be mentioned in the media, is the possibility of leasing jets - like The Czech Republic have done (or was it Austria?). Gripens leased from Sweden ...with the option to buy them after a certain number of years.

(After all, we are currently paying several million a year to lease our Coastguard helicopters!)

Perhaps somebody should mention this option to Don Lavery et al and get it in the media ?!  

[warthog]

not a pc-9,but as good as really...

[Fouga]

Thats a Tucano and its underpowered compared to the PC9 so sidewinders should not be a problem.

[SousaTeuszii]

Hi Guys,
The PC-9M with sidewinders would be a credable point defence capability. This allows the aircraft to wait in one area until something illegal comes in and is then engaged. The Super Tucano shown is used to intercept drug runners in prop aircraft and nothing else. Three problems though:

1. Its not point defence that is required (If anything) it is an intercpetion capability. To intercept an airliner doing Mach 0.82 the aircraft would have to be considerably faster ie expensive.

2. No airforce would allow the shooting down of an aircraft over its home soil without the target being visually intercepted, identifed and warned. See point one.

3. The COS dosent have the balls to make an executive decision to shootdown a rouge aircraft. During the May Day visits I believe this was to be handed on to Bertie for decision. ie another layer of complication who is also probably in the main target area for a terrorist threat!

[Silver]

Quote (SousaTeuszii @ 13 Aug. 2006,09:10)

1. Its not point defence that is required (If anything) it is an intercpetion capability. To intercept an airliner doing Mach 0.82 the aircraft would have to be considerably faster ie expensive. 2. No airforce would allow the shooting down of an aircraft over its home soil without the target being visually intercepted, identifed and warned. See point one.

So in reality, nothing less than say, Gripens, would be of any real benefit for such interceptions ?

Hawks, L-159's, etc would be a waste of time/money /

(N.B. - I know we have covered this ground before  ....but it's interesting ground!'>)

[The Blue Max]

Yes its true there has been tons of webspace devoted to this debate but as silver said least a interesting one.

Personnally i would think that a token force of bewteen 5-6 SAAB JAS-39 Gripens would give the DF a great assets both operationally and for training purposes. Would it possible for the IAC to get the best of bout worlds and get second hand block/batch one or two Gripens???

I would say that would give the IAC a quantrum leap and great defined role for years to come and i would say it would give a great boost also in Corps Morale as they have another more defined job aswell as new Helis,Cessna/Kingair Replacements and MATS,MAPS TATS (C27J Possible) and possible Air Policing role would make them feel more of key parthner in the DF then just more then a spare part in the DF!

[Guinness]

Guys, guys,

again, here's my thought on IAC Jets for air defense / strike

The Irish gouverment is nót givin' out money to something they don't need.

You have the privilage to live on a véry strategic isle concerning the Atlantic
Your east and north is covered by the RAF while your west and south is covered by the USAF and/or USN.

Why the H*** would your gouverment spend millions of €uro's on something it is takin' care of already.

I hope I'm wrong as I would love to see an IAC roundel on a  Gripen but let's be real !!!

Guinness