New Air Base?

[Irish Marine]

I guess this wont happen any time soon with all the cuts taking place-Sad times indeed. Silver-Great comments indeed.
I agree in spread loading all our planes to regional airports. '>

[Irish Marine]

Can some one tell me is the Aircorps going to build more Aircorps bases in the future?
 

With the right equipment, there is no reason why Bal' should not continue as the home of the Air Corps, but dedicated hangers, manned[should that be personed] by Air Corps personall should be provided at airports on the south and west coast.

[Silver]

Very very unlikely.

The best we can hope for are "Air Stations" at some of the regional Airports.

For example, the CASA's should be stationed in Shannon or Galway, closer to their area-of-operations (i.e. Atlantic).

[FiannaFail]

Irish Marine,

I  think a base along the North West, Western or South Western seaboard would be appropriate in this era but we would need to expand  our fleet to meet our needs.  In light of our present difficult economic reality we cannot expect to see this happen straight away.  However there is a need to develop a modern air defence
strategy now and have it ready to roll out when the good economic times return.

FiannaFail

[Turkey]

Irish Marine,

I  think a base along the North West, Western or South Western seaboard would be appropriate in this era but we would need to expand  our fleet to meet our needs.  In light of our present difficult economic reality we cannot expect to see this happen straight away.  However there is a need to develop a modern air defence
strategy now and have it ready to roll out when the good economic times return.

FiannaFail

 ???so why was this not done during our last economic boom then, - hang on - fianna fail were in charge, thats why

[Irish251]

However there is a need to develop a modern air defence
strategy now and have it ready to roll out when the good economic times return.

FiannaFail

Really???  I don't think anyone has made a convincing case for a country situated on the western periphery of Europe, with no AD capability or even fast jets of any type, to build up such a force from scratch (with all the associated infrastructure and training requirements) and maintain it well into the future.  It is different for countries which have made the basic investment long ago or which are genuinely situated close to unstable parts of the world. As for basing Air Corps assets at a variety of locations, that may save time on some critical operations but it would bring a lot of logistical challenges in terms of crewing, maintenance and back-up aircraft which are much easier to manage with a single base.  For the relatively small force and number of individual aircraft, centralising ops at Baldonnel makes a lot more sense and is undoubtedly the more cost-effective option.

[FiannaFail]

Sligo, Knock, Shannon or  Farranfore would make an ideal forward base gaurding our western flank.  Suitable attack aircraft to take out drug smuggling boats before they reach our shores would save this country millions in health and judicial costs from the successful smuggled drugs that are currently awash in all our towns and cities.
FiannaFail

[Irish251]

Sligo, Knock, Shannon or  Farranfore would make an ideal forward base gaurding our western flank.  Suitable attack aircraft to take out drug smuggling boats before they reach our shores would save this country millions in health and judicial costs from the successful smuggled drugs that are currently awash in all our towns and cities.
FiannaFail

Shoot first etc.??  I thought we were a bit more advanced in thinking than that.

[GoneToTheCanner]

hi there
Logistically, it would not be difficult to split the assets to other airports, such as Shannon for the Casas, which is entirely logical, as there are hundreds of engineers available there and no shortage of parking space and hangarage.There is no reason on earth why they couldn't be moved there(airlines routinely rebase aircraft and personnel, worldwide.It's not that hard to do), permanently, except that Donners who have their families established in Leinster don't want to move without compensation.If you told Shannon Airport Authority that you were thinking about putting the Casas there, they'd bite your hand off, they'd be so eager to get the business (fuel sales, housing, wages into the local economy).The only thing that surprises me is that Willie O'Dea hasn't ordered it to happen yet.You can be sure if he does, the Don brass will do everything in their power to prevent it happening except on their terms.
It's well beyond time for the Don to take some of the same pain that the Army gets, with regard to closure and moving of units.
regards
GttC

[Fouga]

The only thing that surprises me is that Willie O'Dea hasn't ordered it to happen yet.You can be sure if he does, the Don brass will do everything in their power to prevent it happening except on their terms.

Would their "terms" pose much of an arguement though as The Minister would have the say as he is the Minister after all?

It's well beyond time for the Don to take some of the same pain that the Army gets, with regard to closure and moving of units.

Well said, id throw a CASA down to Cork for good measure.

[sealion]

Sligo, Knock, Shannon or  Farranfore would make an ideal forward base gaurding our western flank.  Suitable attack aircraft to take out drug smuggling boats before they reach our shores would save this country millions in health and judicial costs from the successful smuggled drugs that are currently awash in all our towns and cities.
FiannaFail

Ever hear of a silly thing called "due process" or "innocent till proven guilty"?

[FiannaFail]

Sealion, I prefer the Italian system of "guilty until proven innocent". Works much better. Do you not see the terrible destruction of society that smuggled drugs has done to our country. I say, keep them out of our country at all costs! We should  be like far east countries that give an automatic death sentence to all drug smugglers, no if ands or buts.  The "do gooders"  have left this country in the mess it is in now. The IAC would a should have an important roel in "smoking" out the smugglers before they reach our shores.  I have no doubts aboout that!
FiannaFail