Who asked the British to 'protect' our airspace from the Russians or anyone else ?

Stars and Stripes

Seen an article today in the Indo. Now being the Indo you have to take any security or crime reports with a pinch of salt as it's quotes as usual from anonymous 'sources'. But if true it occurred to me - who ever asked the Brits to mind our air space ? Is it up to them if say, a French or Swedish or American or Russian fighter plane were in our air space ? Or is it just the Indo been the Indo

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/royal-air-force-jets-scramble-to-intercept-russian-bombers-circling-uk-and-ireland-35437672.html

darkpagandeath

Who else will be minding it ?

Barry Badrinath

Its because we don't have sticks long enough to hit the Russian bombers all the way up der in de clouds.

alchemist33

We could always launch a number of brightly coloured birds, all with different skillsets, from a large catapult instead.

Stars and Stripes

darkpagandeath wrote: »

Who else will be minding it ?

Does the fact that we're neutral not protect it ? If you don't pose a threat to someone else they tend to leave you alone, hence why this state hasn't been at war with anyone since it was founded.

EverythingGood

Well, seeing as we are incapable of defending it ourselves, thank Go we have the British to help us. Anyway, the Russkies didn't actually enter our airspace.

Notamuppet

That's the thing - doesn't the article say neither the Brits or the Russians entered our airspace? In which case surely they can chase each other around international airspace as much as they want as long as they don't hurt anyone!

FrancieBrady

FAIK The British have identified an area as 'an area of interest' which they choose to 'defend'.
As I doubt the Rooskies where going to harm us, I say let them at it. Hope they aren't looking to be paid for it.

darkpagandeath

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

Does the fact that we're neutral not protect it ? If you don't pose a threat to someone else they tend to leave you alone, hence why this state hasn't been at war with anyone since it was founded.

To be neutral you have to be able to defend that neutrality. Ireland is not and never has been Neutral.

CptMackey

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

Does the fact that we're neutral not protect it ? If you don't pose a threat to someone else they tend to leave you alone, hence why this state hasn't been at war with anyone since it was founded.

Really? Our neutrality is like Swiss cheese. We cant defend it from a 747 not to mind a Russian bomber . If the brits don't do it somebody else will have to

Cuddlesworth

http://www.military.ie/en/air-corps/fleet/

Get in those prop planes and take out those multi-million top end bombers lads.

Triangle

Remember hearing that we have an agreement with the UK for them to protect our AirSpace.

One of the Air Corp/Army lads might fill in more details.

wes

No issue with the Brits doing this. Putin isn't to be trusted.

pawrick

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

Does the fact that we're neutral not protect it ? If you don't pose a threat to someone else they tend to leave you alone, hence why this state hasn't been at war with anyone since it was founded.

Being neutral didn't help Belgium in WW1 or many other countries when they were in the way or had useful resources in times of war.

Jawgap

It's not our airspace - it's airspace we have control, not sovereignty over......and as controlled airspace a plane zipping through it with its transponder off is a hazard.

.....also it's NATO who carry out the intercepts, but it just happens the nearest bit of NATO to use with the capacity to carry out quick reaction intercepts is the UK.

....you'll find those bombers are often accompanied by Norwegian or Danish aircraft before being handed off to the RAF - who in turn would hand them off to the Armée de l'air if they were heading for the Med and Syria.

realdanbreen

Senor Fancy Pants wrote: »

Its because we don't have sticks long enough to hit the Russian bombers all the way up der in de clouds.

We could always throw iodine tablets at them!

Triangle

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

Does the fact that we're neutral not protect it ? If you don't pose a threat to someone else they tend to leave you alone, hence why this state hasn't been at war with anyone since it was founded.

Ahhh now come on - (Generally speaking) if someone can take something without repercussions - then they will.

Honestly thinking neutrality will protect you is incredibly naive. Just look at history for numerous times this has happened.

Barry Badrinath

realdanbreen wrote: »

We could always throw iodine tablets at them!

Noooooo!!!!

We NEED them!!!

Stars and Stripes

darkpagandeath wrote: »

To be neutral you have to be able to defend that neutrality. Ireland is not and never has been Neutral.

So your telling me the RoI is a member of NATO and was not neutral in WW2 .....

realdanbreen

CptMackey wrote: »

Really? Our neutrality is like Swiss cheese. We cant defend it from a 747 not to mind a Russian bomber . If the brits don't do it somebody else will have to

Although the yanks didn't do too well defending the heart of their military establishment, the Pentagon, from a 737 flown by a few fellas who had just finished reading a 'flying for dummies' book.

jimgoose

Oh you know the Brits - they love this sort of thing. Hooray!

EverythingGood

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

So your telling me the RoI is a member of NATO and was not neutral in WW2 .....

No, who said that? But we are not neutral in the sense that Norway or Switzerland are.

Stars and Stripes

Triangle wrote: »

Ahhh now come on - (Generally speaking) if someone can take something without repercussions - then they will.

Honestly thinking neutrality will protect you is incredibly naive. Just look at history for numerous times this has happened.

Neutrality has been ignored such as Norway in WW2 by the British which only pulled the Norwegians into it to be only invaded by the Germans. However many other countries still maintained their neutrality such as Sweden, Switzerland, Portugal and Ireland of course etc

Barry Badrinath

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

So your telling me the RoI is a member of NATO and was not neutral in WW2 .....

Ireland is a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP).

We are also "Non Beligerent" as opposed to "Neutral". We can not defend our neutrality.

Falthyron

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

So your telling me the RoI is a member of NATO and was not neutral in WW2 .....

You think we are neutral?

Cute.

jimgoose

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

So your telling me the RoI is a member of NATO and was not neutral in WW2 .....

Ireland isn't a member of NATO, but it is a member of the EU Battlegroups under the EU CSDP.

Harry Palmr

da British are protecting Irish airspace in the same way da Brits are informing Irish weather forecasts - as part of a network of competent providers using technology beyond what met.ie can afford to buy (or even use in the case of Jet fighters).

Boom_Bap

I offered to protect our airspace armed with dirty looks and audible sighs.
But me services were rejected.

Stars and Stripes

realdanbreen wrote: »

We could always throw iodine tablets at them!

Just show them the Angelus at 6.00 and tell them it's on every day !

darkpagandeath

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

So your telling me the RoI is a member of NATO and was not neutral in WW2 .....

Saying you are neutral is not the same as being Neutral.

The_Valeyard

What's the problem

1. Have the Russians land at shannon

2. Charge for fuel

3. Profit.

realdanbreen

I wonder should we set up an enquiry and get some retired judge to investigate why Britain is protecting our airspace? We seem to do it for everything else!

Stars and Stripes

Harry Palmr wrote: »

da British are protecting Irish airspace in the same way da Brits are informing Irish weather forecasts - as part of a network of competent providers using technology beyond what met.ie can afford to buy (or even use in the case of Jet fighters).

Ireland is a member of EUMETSAT along with 30 other European states, passing information between neighbors on the weather is one thing, inviting yourself in to someone else's air space is another. So it's not the Brits finding out the weather for everyone else or something, although we do know they like to think of themselves as the center of the world

DEFTLEFTHAND

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

Does the fact that we're neutral not protect it ? If you don't pose a threat to someone else they tend to leave you alone, hence why this state hasn't been at war with anyone since it was founded.

We're of strategic importance to Britain. They'll always have to watch our back to watch their own.

Take WW2 for instance, if there was even a hint that the Nazis were going to invade Ireland for use as a springboard to attack Britain, they (Britain) would have invaded us and taken over the country in less than 48 hours.

Stars and Stripes

Falthyron wrote: »

You think we are neutral?

Cute.

Well let me know when we became members of NATO and joined in the war in WW2 then so

Harry Palmr

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

Ireland is a member of EUMETSAT along with 30 other European states, passing information between neighbors on the weather is one thing, inviting yourself in to someone else's air space is another. So it's not the Brits finding out the weather for everyone else or something, although we do know they like to think of themselves as the center of the world

and I did say part of a network (RTFM)

EverythingGood

You don't have to have fought in WW11 or be in NATO not to be neutral.

FrancieBrady

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

Ireland is a member of EUMETSAT along with 30 other European states, passing information between neighbors on the weather is one thing, inviting yourself in to someone else's air space is another. So it's not the Brits finding out the weather for everyone else or something, although we do know they like to think of themselves as the center of the world

It was our forecasts in WW2 that helped them win it.

darkpagandeath

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

Well let me know when we became members of NATO and joined in the war in WW2 then so

The first RAF bomber pilot to be shot down and killed in 1939 was Willie Murphy from Cork :pac:

corner of hells

The_Valeyard wrote: »

What's the problem

1. Have the Russians land at shannon

2. Charge for fuel

3. Profit.

Maybe make dem park der planes beside the 'merican planes.

wes

pawrick wrote: »

Being neutral didn't help Belgium in WW1 or many other countries when they were in the way or had useful resources in times of war.

True, our location protects us more than anything. The US and the Brits won't let anyone else take Ireland, as then people could then get at them easier.

topper75

We are watching them boyos.

We always have been.

http://www.skibbereeneagle.ie/uncategorized/the-story-of-the-skibbereen-eagle/

Stars and Stripes

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

We're of strategic importance to Britain. They'll always have to watch our back to watch their own.

Take WW2 for instance, if there was even a hint that the Nazis were going to invade Ireland for use as a springboard to attack Britain, they (Britain) would have invaded us and taken over the country in less than 48 hours.

And the British and French were going to beat the Nazi's in no time and the war would be over by Xmas Funny enough Adolf invaded a few smaller countries such as Greece, Yugoslavia etc and it took a lot more than 48 hours. Sure that war criminal Churchill could have resurrected the Black and Tans to put some manners on Paddy , only problem was, with a British invasion the German's might have took the chance to give the British a good ar$e kicking again like they did in Norway.

darkpagandeath

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

And the British and French were going to beat the Nazi's in no time and the war would be over by Xmas Funny enough Adolf invaded a few smaller countries such as Greece, Yugoslavia etc and it took a lot more than 48 hours. Sure that war criminal Churchill could have resurrected the Black and Tans to put some manners on Paddy .......

1 out of 10. Tell us what military counter Ireland would have had ? Everyone got a gun under the bed ?

cnocbui

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

So your telling me the RoI is a member of NATO and was not neutral in WW2 .....

So a ratio of Irish people joining the German Army vs those joining the British Army in WW2 of 1:10,000 is neutral, is it?

Stars and Stripes

darkpagandeath wrote: »

The first RAF bomber pilot to be shot down and killed in 1939 was Willie Murphy from Cork :pac:

So what, that's his tough luck, the Irish govt didn't ask him to join the RAF or something

A Little Pony

You should be thankful.

We do like to call ourselves neutral and take the high moral ground in all these debates.

Its only possible because we are on an island in the middle of the atlantic, not in a position like Poland jammed between Germany + USSR during WW2. Anyone trying to get to us needed to go through Britain first.

In ww2 we stayed happily neutral as Germany shipped the jews off to the gas chambers and rolled its tanks into Belgium, Holland, France etc etc

riffmongous

And who protects our airspace from the Brits? :pac:

cnocbui

riffmongous wrote: »

And who protects our airspace from the Brits? :pac:

Ryanair

darkpagandeath

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

So what, that's his tough luck, the Irish govt didn't ask him to join the RAF or something

Nobody said they did. Does one have a problem with the Irish that went to fight in the Spanish civil war too ?