Fighter jets for the Air Corps?

source

Shannon is the best option for a west coast base, midway down the western half of the country, lots of space around it to build and a 3200m runway. It's a currently active airport with IAA ATC cover and it's quiet enough that co-locating an airbase there wouldn't impact too much on commercial activity.

Larbre34

I feel personally that Shannon is the only place the Air Corps needs a base.

MATS could run out of Dublin or Weston without much hassle.

Baldonnell is already set to host the new DF hospital. Given how hemmed in it is by development anyway, they should end flight ops there and build the Land Component HQ and an alternative site for the Cathal Brugha units, along with whatever else is needed for the DF to have near Dublin.

EchoIndia

So how much hangarage and accommodation would be needed at Shannon if the entire Air Corps was to transfer there? Every time someone says there is lots of land there, I wonder where exactly they would house the facilities. It may not be a busy airport but several airliner maintenance and painting hangars have been built in recent decades, accounting for some of the available space. Also, I assume the airport does not own all the surrounding land and of course it is bounded to quite an extent by industrial estates, a golf course and the Shannon Estuary. I'm not saying it can't be done but it might not be quite as straightforward as seems to be suggested. Establishing sizeable military facilities at an airport that I assume is meant to operate on a commercial basis might require legislative change, agreements between respective Ministers/Departments and agreements on capital and ongoing costs. All eminently feasible, I'm sure, but in Ireland, these things take time.

Larbre34

Plenty of space right there for a secure compound for the Air Corps, with its own gate access, aprons, dedicated taxiway, hangars, Admin building etc. You could build an accommodation facility across the road, or elsewhere around the Shannon Zone; training college, stores, living quarters, gyms and all weather sports, mess, medical and chaplaincy, garages and service yards.

And Shannon Town itself would be absolutely ideal to provide family quarters for all ranks, which in itself would improve the attractiveness of the Corps.

source

Google Earth says there's almost 200 acres there, the area of Casement Aerodrome without the runways and taxiway is around 164 acres, so plenty of space there.

Dohvolle

Everything north of the main runway and west of what used to be Shannon aerospace is perfect. A few civvy houses nearby, but the land otherwise is mostly within the fenceline.

Who is in the SAL base now? The google earth view is newish and all i see on their ramp is FOD waiting to happen. Wasn't their hangar big enough for 4 midbody airliners?

I would even say not all the hangars around the airfield are in current use, and perhaps for starters. station the new MPAs out there permanently? Makes no sense keeping them on the east coast when they spend their days on the south and west coast.

EchoIndia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121326394#Comment_121326394

The hangars at Shannon are all in current use. The area you mention is mostly not within the current airport fence-line but it may belong to the airport nonetheless. The Google views don't show that the land is rather hilly immediately south of the large Atlantic Aviation hangar but no doubt earthmoving would address that.

Markcheese

If shannon were to be the main air corp base , would baldonnel be needed at all ?

Could it be just for rotary wing ? Or everything remaining be moved to dublin airport ?

Dohvolle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121330911#Comment_121330911

Bal will always remain, you need a secure military airbase close to the nations capital, you just don't need to operate all types from it, particularly when there is a large international airport less than 10 miles away, and another private airfield between it and you. Bal has been useful in the past when certain VIPs requiring high security visited the Government for important meetings.

Its an ideal HQ and training hub.

mupper2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121331138#Comment_121331138

And we can only assume there is still some plan to move part of the Wing there.....not sure how feasible any of that was but...

Dohvolle

Its a question of either having an ARW detachment in BAL or having an ARW heli on standby in DFTC.

We all know which one is easier.

roadmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121333262#Comment_121333262

Or Athlone!!!

The Koreans do not hang around when it comes to delivery's

https://defence-blog.com/poland-receives-new-fa-50-light-combat-jets/

Dohvolle

Apparently these aircraft were already on the production line, intended for another customer. 2 more of the Block 10 "Gap Filler" to be delivered before Poland starts receiving the newbuild Block 20 with AESA, conformal tank and possibly better engines. After that the plan is to upgrade the GF to Block 20 standard.

jonnybigwallet

I was hoping the Koreans might have dragged our government delegates along to the KAI factory to show them the FA50 and offer them a good deal.

Probably did their best to....but were rejected by our A Team.

roadmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121337968#Comment_121337968

Don't worry Jonny Tanaiste Martin is in China securing a deal for a fleet of Chengdu J20s in exchange for baby milk and kerrygold

Dohvolle

Given their actions so far, it's more likely they'll allow the Chinese Air Force operate from Shannon.

sparky42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121338252#Comment_121338252

Well our Beef exports just got suspended due to a BSE case, so the farmers lobby will make sure that doesn’t happen…

roadmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121338252#Comment_121338252

In Fairness that's where this state is equal to all once you have money we don't care,sure at the height of the cold War we let the Soviets and the USA use shannon

saabsaab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121338086#Comment_121338086

I'm sure the J20s would be good enough but we'd need their pilots to train and operate them..

Dohvolle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121338392#Comment_121338392

Not only that but Aer Rianta ran the duty free shops in the Soviet Union's major airports. You can still see the old Aer Rianta signage at Boryspil, Kyiv.

roadmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121340563#Comment_121340563

We are the best capailist country known to man

Dohvolle

We boast about our "soft power" on the international stage.

What do we do with the is soft power? Run the shops selling drinks & perfume to Soviet tourists. Allow both Soviet and NATO transport aircraft to use our largers airport as a hub. Ship our milk and beef to China, ignoring the environmental impact, and any human rights issues that may highlight. Take a "both sides" view in international conflicts until the outcome becomes clear.

Larbre34

We make money off it kid. Nowt more, nowt less.

Markcheese

https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/arid-20175247.html

Could still be a load of horse manure though

bear1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121442615#Comment_121442615

Not sure this is totally related to fighter jets. The only connection i can see is they both fly?

Larbre34

Its the start of a gorilla marketing campaign for LÉ Zoilomastix.

Markcheese

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121443294#Comment_121443294

That was me, obviously posting in the wrong thread,

No flying guerrillas sorry..

jonnybigwallet

I see Mr Varadkar scored a bit of an own goal with an announcement in the Dail about irish airspace being open to Santa. The Telegraph has picked up on this in this mornings edition with an article criticising the government for spending nowt on air defense.

Dohvolle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121498792#Comment_121498792

Good ole torygraph, never misses a chance to poke one in the eye of johnny foreigner... bigoted arsepaper that they are.

jonnybigwallet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121498866#Comment_121498866

I'll grant you that it's a bit of right wing rag....but unless there is a bit of criticism coming from outside of the state (of the government's penny pinching) and reliance on big brother Britain...I can't see them spending any loot on having a decent air force.