List of aircraft of the Irish Air Corps

Air Corps AgustaWestland AW139

This list identifies the military aircraft which are currently being operated, on order, or have formerly been operated by the Irish Air Corps.

Current Irish military aircraft

Military aircraft currently in active service, or on order, with the Irish Air Corps are as follows:

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Variant	In service	Notes
Maritime Patrol
CASA C-295	Spain	maritime patrol	MSA	2[1][2]
Reconnaissance
Britten-Norman Defender	United Kingdom	police air support	4000	1[1][2][3]	Flown for the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU)[4]
DHC-6 Twin Otter	Canada	police air support	Guardian 400		One on order for the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU) to replace the Britten-Norman Defender.[5][6]
Pilatus PC-12	Switzerland	surveillance	PC-12NG	4[1][2][7]	Three 'SPECTRE' surveillance variants[8], and one utility variant[9]
Transport
CASA C-295	Spain	transport			One on order[10][1]
Learjet 45	United States	executive transport		1[2][11]	Tender for replacement issued in late 2023.[12]
Falcon 6X	France	executive transport			One on order for delivery in 2025 to replace the Learjet 45.[13][14]
Helicopter
AgustaWestland AW139	Italy	utility		6[2][15][1]
Eurocopter EC135	Germany	utility / trainer	EC135 P2	2[2][16][1]
Eurocopter EC135	Germany	police air support	EC135 T2	2[2][17]	Flown for the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU)[4]
Trainer
Pilatus PC-9	Switzerland	trainer / CAS	PC-9M	8[2][18][1]	One hull lost in 2009 was replaced in 2017[19]

Several Pilatus PC-9M aircraft at Baldonnel

Retired Irish military aircraft

A few examples of former Air Corps aircraft are retained in the Air Corps Museum in Baldonnel. These include an Avro Anson, An Alouette III and a Fouga Magister. A De Havilland Vampire and a Miles Magister are on display in the National Museum in Collins Barracks (Dublin).[20]

Military aircraft which have been withdrawn from service with the Irish Air Corps include the following:

Fighter and attack aircraft

Air Corps Spitfire T.9 trainer wearing the early post war green colour scheme

Gloster Gladiator Mk I of the 1st Squadron of the Irish Air Corps

• Bristol F.2B Fighter – 8× 1922–1935[21][22][23]
• Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard – 4× 1922–1929[24]
• RAE S.E.5a – 1× 1922 (destroyed by the IRA during Civil War)
• Bristol F.2B Fighter Mk II – 8× 1925–1935[23]
• Gloster Gladiator I – 4× 1938–1944 (1× crashed 1938, 1× crashed 1944, 2× retired 1943, 12 more ordered but not delivered during The Emergency)[23][25]
• Hawker Hurricane I – 12× 1940–1946 (1× RAF crash-landed in Ireland 1940 and repaired by Air Corps, 11× delivered 1943)[23]
• Hawker Hurricane IIa – 1× 1941–1943 (RAF force-landed in Ireland)
• Hawker Hurricane IIb – 1× 1941–1943 (RAF crash-landed in Ireland)
• Hawker Hurricane IIc – 6× 1945–1947[23]
• Supermarine V.S. 506 Seafire LF.III – 12× 1947–1955[26]

Bombers

• De Havilland DH.9 – 6× [24]
• Fairey Battle TT.I – 1x Irish Air Corps interned 1 ex-RAF target tug in 1942. It was in use as a target tug from 1944 to 1946.[23]
• Hawker Hind and Hind Trainer[23]
• Lockheed Hudson I (also used for maritime patrol duties)[27]

Reconnaissance and patrol aircraft

• CASA CN-235M-100 – 2x 1994-2023
• Cessna FR172H – 8× FR172H, 1× FR172K 1972-2019
• Fairey IIIF Mk II
• Supermarine V.S. 236 Walrus I – 3× from 1939[28][23]

Transport and liaison aircraft

An Avro 652A Anson which operated from 1946 to 1962

• Avro 652A Anson I and C19[23]
• Avro 626 Prefect (also served as a navigation trainer)
• Hawker Siddeley HS.125-600B and -700B
• Beechcraft Super King Air 200T - 3x [29]
• De Havilland DH.84 Dragon 2
• De Havilland DH.104 Dove Mk 4, Mk 5, Mk 7, and Mk 8A[29]
• Grumman G1159A Gulfstream III – 1x (leased)
• Gulfstream IV – 1x [30]
• Hawker Hector
• Martinsyde Type A Mk II
• Vickers Type 193 Vespa IV and Type 208 Vespa V
• Westland Lysander II – x6 [23][31]

Trainer aircraft

Percival Provost Mk 51 in Air Corps colours

• Avro 504K – 6× 1922–1932[32]
• Avro 621 Tutor[33]
• Avro 631 Cadet (also used for coastal patrol duties)
• Avro 636
• De Havilland DH.60 Cirrus I Moth
• De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.20 and T.22A[29]
• De Havilland DH.115 Vampire T.55[29] – 6× 1956–1976
• Fouga CM-170-2 Super Magister – 6× 1975–1999[29]
• Hunting Percival Provost T.51 and T.53
• Miles M.14A Magister[23]
• Miles M.25 Martinet TT.I
• Miles M.9A Master I and M.19 Master II[23]
• SIAI-Marchetti SF-260D and SF-260WE Warrior – 10x 1977-
• Supermarine V.S. 509 Spitfire T.9 – 6× 1951–1961

Helicopters

Air Corps Alouette III. Retired in 2007

• Aérospatiale Alouette III – 8x 1963-2007. Replaced by AW139s[34][35]
• Aérospatiale SA330J Puma – 1x leased from Aérospatiale for 2 years during the early 1980s[36][37]
• Aérospatiale SA342L Gazelle – 2x 1980-2005.[38]
• Aérospatiale SA365Fi Dauphin II – 5x 1986-2006
• Sikorsky S-61N – 1x Previously leased and operated by IAC for Search & Rescue/Coast Guard.[39] Subsequently, returned to CHC Ireland who operated it in a similar capacity for the IRCG.
• Eurocopter Twin Squirrel AS355N – 1x 1997-2008 Operated by IAC for Garda Air Support Unit until replaced by second EC135T in January 2008.[40]

References

Notes

1. Hoyle, Craig (2023). "World Air Forces 2024". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
2. "Defence Forces - Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 May 2024". oireachtas.ie. Houses of the Oireachtas. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
3. "PBN Defender". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
4. "The Garda Air Support Unit". garda.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
5. "Garda purchases sophicated surveillance aircraft from Canadian manufacturer". irishtimes.ie. 2024-08-03. Archived from the original on 2024-08-15. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
6. "De Havilland Canada's Twin Otter Guardian Aircraft Chosen for Enhanced Operational Capabilities". dehavilland.com. 2024-07-23. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
7. "Pilatus PC-12". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
8. "Irish Air Corps New PC-12's Arrive in Baldonnel". flyinginireland.com. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
9. "Air Corps to Take Delivery of Pilatus PC-12 Today". flyinginireland.com. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
10. "Third Airbus Defence C295 Confirmed for the Air Corps". flyinginireland.com. 12 March 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
11. "Learjet 45". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
12. "Tender Notice Published for New Government Jet". flyinginireland.com. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
13. "Tánaiste confirms contract award of new Strategic Reach Aircraft". gov.ie. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
14. "Government announces deal signed for new €53m French built Government Jet". thejournal.ie. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
15. "AW139". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
16. "EC135 P2". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
17. "EC135 T2". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
18. "Pilatus PC-9M". military.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
19. "Air Corps receive new Pilatus PC-9M". flyinginireland.com. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
20. Tony Canavan (January 2007). "Museum Eye – Soldiers and chiefs, the Irish at war – National Museum of Ireland Collins Barracks, Dublin". Reviews. 15 (1). History Ireland.
21. Byrne 1980, p. 52.
22. O'Malley 2010, p. 57.
23. MacCarron 2012, p. 20.
24. MacCarron 2012, p. 18.
25. "Irish Army Air Corps use of the Gloster Gladiator during the Second World War". Håkan Gustavsson. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
26. Byrne 1980, p. 62.
27. McIvor 1994, p. 83.
28. O'Malley 2010, p. 148.
29. "Air Corps Museum Collection (1918-2004)". Irish Military Archives. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
30. "Government jet sold to US company". RTE. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
31. O'Malley 2010, p. 205.
32. McIvor 1994, p. 42.
33. "Military Archives – Image Database – IE/MA/ACPS/GPN/001 – Glass plate negatives of a ground image of an Avro 621". MilitaryArchives.ie. Defence Forces. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
34. "Alouettes set for final missions". Irish Times. 28 July 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
35. "New Wings for the Irish Air Corps". Air-Scene UK. May 2008. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
36. "Up, up and away . . . why our Air Corps are getting plenty of lift". Independent News & Media. 4 July 2000. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
37. "N86-1981- Air Corp Helicopters - Air Corps Takes Delivery Of Puma Helicoptor - July 1981". Irish Photo Archive. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
38. "Gazelle Retired" (PDF). An Cosantóir – Defence Forces Magazine. Irish Defence Forces. March 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2022. On December 31st 2005 the last flight of Air Corps Gazelle 241 over Casement Aerodrome marked the end of 25 years of service
39. "Air Corps withdrawn from rescue work". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. 11 October 2004. Retrieved 10 November 2020. [T]he Government is formally withdrawing the Air Corps from all helicopter search-and-rescue today [..] and will be relieved by the contract company CHC Helicopters in a week's time [..] The Sikorsky S-61 helicopter leased for the Air Corps in Sligo was returned several weeks ago
40. "Second Garda helicopter takes to air". Irish Times. 15 January 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2017.

Sources

• Byrne, Liam (1980). History of Aviation in Ireland. Blackwater Press. ISBN 9780905471105.
• Morgan, Eric B. & Burnet, Charles (December 1981 – March 1982). "Walrus... Amphibious Angel of Mercy". Air Enthusiast (17): 13–25. ISSN 0143-5450.
• O'Malley, Michael C (2010). Military Aviation in Ireland, 1921-45. University College Dublin Press. ISBN 9781906359485.
• MacCarron, Donal (2012). The Irish Defence Forces since 1922. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781780963914.
• McIvor, Aidan (1994). A History of the Irish Naval Service. Irish Academic Press. ISBN 9780716525233.