Airbus C-295 to replace Casa C-235

Larbre34

I see them (or it) up and around a fair bit, whats the hold up?

source

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122135230#Comment_122135230

They will retain the Irish paint scheme, they are putting it in the museum because it has the highest flight hours of the type in the world.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137511#Comment_122137511

On that basis will they also take the Learjet 45? 🤣

EchoIndia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137511#Comment_122137511

Which museum is it - in France or Spain?

roadmaster

Small Article on the Casas

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41409932.html

sparky42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122223247#Comment_122223247

I like how “air force” is starting to leak into articles, who knows when it’s official of course, but let’s be honest the General is slightly exaggerating the past and current capabilities of the AC.

roadmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122224155#Comment_122224155

Dont be annoying that man he has far more important things to worry about like will he get his Full EU pension when his term is over.

Back to the casa when you look at the actual size of the casa compared to the work station for operators there is a hell of a lot of empty space left over. Would there of being a smaller aircraft on the market that could do the same job while carrying the same survillance gear?

roadmaster

I suppouse it goes back to the point should you be putting troops and cargo in with millions of euros worth of technolgy

Grassy Knoll

Am I the only one think these articles are in response to the activity off our West coast . that is the activity we don’t have the capability to offer anything apart from refuelling facilities (as I understand it neither has submarine surveillance capabilities). Also it strikes me we have these aircraft (at least the first) nearly a year and it is only now we are approaching a rollout in terms of operational abilities… while accepting the tech is better than before etc it seems an inordinate length of time. Also the ex NZ IPVs had major work done on them before they left NZ, again hardly a years worth of work to get them adapted,to our needs… behind the spin I presume we had issues in terms of crewing and support techs. Air force is right….

roadmaster

The Times have a Video up today as part of the PR excercise yesterday. In the Video the outgoing CoS saying we currently have no subsea survliance ability but that may change in the Future. Is there a change coming and Could we have this ability in the Future.

RTE in there version of yesterdays PR day are saying the two 295s are fully operational.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2024/0606/1453332-air-corps-changes/

roadmaster

I see as part of the 295 crews there is still a Photographer. Is this for legal reasons in court that a photographer is still needed for fishery cases rather than a SARO just taken a still from there cameras?

mupper2

Anyone know why 284 has apparently been sitting in Spain for the last 3 months (Nov last year)?

roadmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123181707#Comment_123181707

As part of the package with Airbus could it be gone for a C check?

jonnybigwallet

What that 284 thing?

source

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123186317#Comment_123186317

Tail number for one of the C295s.

jonnybigwallet

Thank you!

roadmaster

Intetesting if True

https://clarechampion.ie/air-corps-looks-to-shannon-for-security/

sparky42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123474590#Comment_123474590

”little option but to move”? Space issues in Baldonnel? The ATC issue impacting operations? What about the security breaches in Shannon?

I mean great if it’s a long term plan for the fixed wing airframes but still questions?

roadmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123474723#Comment_123474723

is there much Hangar space in Shannon?

Larbre34

I think its clear from Bomber Harris' pronouncements that there is the genesis of a plan for a squadron of fighter interceptors to be based at Shannon, so it would make sense to do a soft launch of the Air Corps presence there, whether that be a 295 and a couple of PC-12s, especially after the new Garda plane arrives, and maybe a couple of rotary also.

An initial presence wouldn't need a huge amount of hangar space, but they would need to think about security, accommodation for flight and ground crew, fuel services, general stores etc.

I know this came up before in the discussions about fast jets, but Shannon Airport do own a large landbank outside of its existing north perimeter, and an Air Corps (Force) facility, running along the same line as the Atlantic Aviation block would be easy enough to do.

EchoIndia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123475335#Comment_123475335

The hangars at Shannon are mostly used by maintenance or painting companies and are heavily used. The one that does seem to have some capacity (I think the CN235s were stored/worked on there after retirement) is the ASL one (once the SRS hangar) on the road just before the cargo and terminal ramps. However as ASL use the hangar for their own fleet (mostly the 737s) I doubt that it could be handed over for Air Corps use.

roadmaster

Well if there is as big an issue in casement as some are making out there may have to be other aircraft moving to the midwest as well.

jonnybigwallet

Probably needed there IMO

sparky42

Bit of a strange question, but anyone have any idea why one of the CASA's flew up to Iceland today?

jonnybigwallet

Must have landed by now…anybody clocked it on tracking app?.

Larbre34

Total and utter guess, but she may be gone up to do a bit of interoperability training with the NATO P-8s and other assets, under EMSA/EUMSS/CISE

thomil

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123793545#Comment_123793545

Would make sense. There must have been some sort of exercise or meet-up at KEF, since FR24 also shows a Polish Air Force C-295 on the ground at the airport.

As for 284, she’s homeward bound again, just about to make landfall up in Donegal:

sparky42

EOD exercise it seems.

Larbre34

New SOP. If any EOs are found that need D, put them in a CASA, fly them to Iceland and stick them in the ice. Or a Volcano. Whatever is closest.

thomil

I was thinking more along the lines of immersive training environment. EOD training is much more realistic in a country where the ground can just open up without warning…