What next aircraft?

[Pink Panther]

..if you want to debate the Defence Forces as a whole go and join IMO or the like and debate it all you want with them 

Debate with IMO, dont think so. They dont like dissent. Had a look at the thread on the AW139, paranoid . Disagree and try to debate, they come at one from all directions.
Gnat


(I sting)

Totally agree with you.Paranoid and pedantic.

[Pink Panther]

I think it is fair to say, that under the current financial climate the state finds itself in, the air corp will have to make do with what it has got for the foreseeable future.
It would be nice to see a few euro going towards providing 24 hr top cover where SAR is concerned.In my opinion 2 casa's are not enough to provide this service along with fishery protection duties as well.

Happy new year guys and girls by the way.

PP.

[FiannaFail]

Many happy returns Pink Panther. I think that is another area that should be expanded.  We are in tough times and it will get tougher  before it gets better I am afraid but it is now we should be planning, not when thingsgs are better and thaen only get planning!
FiannaFail

[Viper]

Evenin

Interesting points in this one, although it's kind of the never ending roundabout re: fighters. Back to a few points from GTTC

Forget fighters.It will never, ever happen.A better light strike aircraft than a PC-9? Possibly....Personally, I think the AMX would be a good choice.

Do the AC have a requirement for a plane like the AMX - now or in the future? It would be good to see something like this, but would T/FA 50 not be a better option for a training / light combat role? (Maybe an L-159 or MB 346 either, although trying to keep out of the warmed over jet trainer mentality, and what they can and can't do compared to a fighter.)

In the meantime, nothing less than a C-130 for strategic airlift.Don't waste your breath on anything smaller as the cost/benefit are simply not worth it. A Casa 295 is far too small for STRATEGIC airlift and is scarcely a real tactical transporter.

Suppose the C-130 is a possibility if it could be sold as a multi-role transport for military / civil relief etc as has been said before. A pair of half decent second hand ones might even be affordable to buy and operate...

..........sell the King Air, as it is so old and high-houred as to be essentially worth only the value of it's engines. Buy two C90s for multi-engine training, air ambulance and MATS back-up and a King Air 350 for short-range MATS.Sell the GIV and put the money towards a GV or similar.

Would it not be better to better just to buy a new King Air 200 and the FNPTII sim for ME training and MATS? Wonder what'll happen about a GIV replacement now the economy's on a downer - the Airbus or 737 is probably off the cards (for now anyways)?

And all that's before extra helis... We can't afford massive kit, but the money could definitely be found to put in place something a bit more substantial. And the public wouldn't go ape, provided that they don't go looking for F-16s or Gripens. Snap out of it, enough of that Waltering...

[Paul McA]

I agree with the 2nd Hand C-130 option,plenty of them about and spares easy to access.
A pair of Casa`s would also be high on the list of priority`s.Agin possible 2nd airframes would be a good idea.
Also like the idea of the Islanders-very capable aircraft and tough as old boots as well.

Jets would be nice but don`t see the budget stretching to it-and if the truth be told are they really needed?
The only purpose I can see for them is as a recruitment tool and to please the airshow crowds.

Better to stick to tried and tested aircraft that have proved their worth and suitability-we can all dream of jets!

[Silver]

I agree - 2 x (s/h) C-130's and Defenders.....and more helis.

Isnt it high time that Customs (and/or Coast Guard) had a couple of aircraft of their own too?

Anybody recall the Top Gear episode where they 'sailed' a Nissan pickup across the english channel - and were overflown by a UK Coastguard Defender (Islander?) checking them out?!

[sealion]

I agree - 2 x (s/h) C-130's and Defenders.....and more helis.

Isnt it high time that Customs (and/or Coast Guard) had a couple of aircraft of their own too?

Anybody recall the Top Gear episode where they 'sailed' a Nissan pickup across the english channel - and were overflown by a UK Coastguard Defender (Islander?) checking them out?!

How many "air forces" does a small country need? You forget that the Irish coastguard already contract CHC to provide SAR helis to the country. Customs use the Air Corps CASA on occasion, it hardly justifies need for their own air arm.(2 flights last year) Bad enough they have their own Navy.

[Viper]

Jets would be nice but don`t see the budget stretching to it-and if the truth be told are they really needed?
The only purpose I can see for them is as a recruitment tool and to please the airshow crowds.

Better to stick to tried and tested aircraft that have proved their worth and suitability-we can all dream of jets!

Trying to keep away from the dreaming, did a bit too much of that as a kid... Where I'm coming from though is do the AC see this as a potential future for them, even though anything they've said in recent years would not seem to indicate such. A light jet like the AMX or similar won't stop much, but could be a useful point defender, and would definitely be a massive step in air -ground, -sea and recce.

So, sorry to read into things too much GTTC, but by "A better light strike aircraft than a PC-9? Possibly....", does the "Possibly...." mean some planner type in Bal is thinking, maybe towards something more substantial?

Okay, by the above I think I've lost all credibility here so I'll be off

[Gnat]

..if you want to debate the Defence Forces as a whole go and join IMO or the like and debate it all you want with them 

Debate with IMO, dont think so. They dont like dissent. Had a look at the thread on the AW139, paranoid . Disagree and try to debate, they come at one from all directions.
Gnat


(I sting)

Totally agree with you.Paranoid and pedantic.

Hey Pink Panther,
You are dead right, IMO deleted their paranoid postings, they are unbelievable. See their thread AB139, no critisism there, no dissent allowed.
Gnat
(I sting)

[Turkey]

..if you want to debate the Defence Forces as a whole go and join IMO or the like and debate it all you want with them 

Debate with IMO, dont think so. They dont like dissent. Had a look at the thread on the AW139, paranoid . Disagree and try to debate, they come at one from all directions.
Gnat


(I sting)

Totally agree with you.Paranoid and pedantic.

Hey Pink Panther,
You are dead right, IMO deleted their paranoid postings, they are unbelievable. See their thread AB139, no critisism there, no dissent allowed.
Gnat
(I sting)

Untrue

[Baldonnel-boy]

When i said to go and debate on IMO i wasn't stating that IMO was a paranoid or pedantic website.... . I was just stating that this is a Aviation website where as IMO is a more general military website..... I think most of the discussion on there is well informed and most of the stuff that gets deleted on there has either operational or security issues..... 

[Silver]

I agree - 2 x (s/h) C-130's and Defenders.....and more helis.

Isnt it high time that Customs (and/or Coast Guard) had a couple of aircraft of their own too?

Anybody recall the Top Gear episode where they 'sailed' a Nissan pickup across the english channel - and were overflown by a UK Coastguard Defender (Islander?) checking them out?!

How many "air forces" does a small country need? You forget that the Irish coastguard already contract CHC to provide SAR helis to the country. Customs use the Air Corps CASA on occasion, it hardly justifies need for their own air arm.(2 flights last year) Bad enough they have their own Navy.

With all due respect I don't think a couple of Defenders for the Customs or Coast Guard would constitute another 'air force'.  IMHO, with the amount of drug running off our coast it's more than high time that Customs or the Coast Guard got their own dedicated patrol aircraft. In fact it think it's just a matter of time before the EU force the govt to start operating such dedicated patrols.   

I'm well aware that CHC operate S61N's on behalf of the CG....and appear to be doing a good job too. I'm not for a minute saying that the AC couldn't do just as good a job (and maybe better) but it appears to be the case that such services seem to work better as 'stand alone' operations ...rather than having the AC 'multi-tasking' to cover several such operations.   

[FiannaFail]

Personally Silver I think that the IAC needs aircraft that would take out durg smugglar ships before they reach our shores.
FiannaFail

[Tempest]

Hmmmm, that sounds like execution.

[Baldonnel-boy]

Personally Silver I think that the IAC needs aircraft that would take out durg smugglar ships before they reach our shores.
FiannaFail

And how do you intend to distinguish between the ships or yachts with drugs aboard from the ones that are drug free???         Perhaps you intend to drop bombs that only expolde when they detect drugs... or make all drug runners fly the jolly Roger.....    I believe in this country people are innocent until proven guilty...... unless you live in FinnaFail's house that is........