Chief of Staff designate

Larbre34

The Government has announced that on the retirement of DF CoS Vice Admiral Mark Mellett at the end of September, the new CoS will be the current DCoS (Support) Major General (AC) Sean Clancy, who will be promoted to Lieutenant General.

General Clancy will be the first career Air Corps officer to get the top job, so many congratulations to him for that. I don't know the man, but I've heard from some of those that served under him down the years that he's very highly regarded.

Perhaps, just as the elevation of Admiral Mellett coincided with some unprecedented investment in the Naval Service, maybe the new CoS can move along the development of Air Corps capability and equipment under his tenure.

Beir bua.

randy hickey

You took the words right outta my mouth Labre34!

As you said, here's hoping that their inside man can draw renewed focus and attention to the lack of investment in the AC.

....and actual investment of course!

randy hickey

^ New site is going great, isn't it?!!

Larbre34

No. It took me a stupid amount of time and concentration to even find the forum and post a new thread, sorry discussion. Joke.

roadmaster

I wonder if he had said to the department at that time the air corps need that 5th pc12 which is at a bargin price would he be now COS or still in the same job?

Larbre34

We didn't need a fifth '12 and whatever about a parking space, we really didn't have the pilots to operate it. Hell we don't have the pilots to operate the fixed wing fleet as it stands now!

roadmaster

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117628018#Comment_117628018

id take a totally different view, if you had the extra one you could leave the 3 surveillance ones fitted out and never be messing with there gear just to transport stuff while you would have the other two as the donkeys' transporting etc. and also providing cover when the others are down for maintenance. An they only need one pilot to operate

Larbre34

We've no need to have 3 of the type available for ISTAR at all times.

And also, it's not more light transports we need, it's a separate single plane of a flexible medium lift capacity. To my mind that would either be a used C-130, another new C-295 in basic cargo config or, if possible, to extend the life of one of the outgoing 235s and strip it for freight and troop transport.

Larbre34

I'm which case, someone in authority (and by that I do mean the Ministers for Defence and Transport) need to sort out the priorities for both sides of this coin.

The Air Corps should be stopped holding a candle for SAR and be focused onto core military and ACP tasks and the Dept of Transport need to get on with the successor contract for Coastguard SAR services (including top cover and all the extras) and get this issue off the table for the long term.

I would go as far as to remove the Air Ambulance role from the Air Corps and contract further helicopters to the National Ambulance Service for a national integrated operation.

Military bodies for military roles, civilian bodies for civilian roles.

Psychlops

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117629709#Comment_117629709

Which is where they need to go, CHC are doing SAR & are excellent at it, leave it to them. Military to stay on Military taskings.

roadmaster

There was comments made in the past weather they are true or false i dont know that the air corps didnt want the army neary there helicopters. Maybe in that case it would be better to transfer all rotary wing assests to direct control of the army

roadmaster

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117638418#Comment_117638418

Well as you know this country has a brilliant track record in best international practice😁

sparky42

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117635607#Comment_117635607

Spoiler, he won't achieve that or anything close to that, no more than any other COS has managed for the other services.

punchdrunk

While the tail (DOD) is still wagging the dog nothing will change...