Fighter jets for the Air Corps?

Sgt. Bilko 09 · 15-07-2021 02:08PM

Hellenic Airforce are starting to receive there Rafales.

Flinty997 · 15-07-2021 02:16PM

F35 issues roll on...

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/41538/fifteen-percent-of-u-s-air-force-f-35s-dont-have-working-engines

ectoraige · 22-07-2021 09:17PM

https://theaviationist.com/2021/07/21/first-dassault-rafale-haf/

€2.3 billion for 6 new and 12 second-hand, initial pilot training in France to transfer from the Mirages. Beautiful aircraft.

Markcheese · 22-07-2021 11:46PM

What's happening to Greece's mirage 2000s ? Or are they worn out ?

sparky42 · 23-07-2021 12:53AM

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117649499#Comment_117649499

They are being sold back to the French as part of the deal, might be a cheap way for the French to get parts for their own?

Sgt. Bilko 09 · 23-07-2021 02:14PM

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117650047#Comment_117650047

Yeah they are upgraded, I can't see mentioned in the procurement that they are being sold back. The only aircraft that is being retired is a corsair that they have.

Gary kk · 27-08-2021 01:00PM

Probably not the right thread but are you guys training flying over north kk for the last few weeks

Wolf597 · 27-08-2021 04:58PM

Would these be of any good to IAC?

https://www.globalplanesearch.com/listing/aircraft-for-sale/BAe-Hawk/278956

jonnybigwallet · 27-08-2021 06:37PM

Bit pricey for second hand imo.

sparky42 · 27-08-2021 08:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117812685#Comment_117812685

For what little capability we have left there as well…

punchdrunk · 28-08-2021 10:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117811835#Comment_117811835

Nothing subsonic will do, it's literally pissing away money on things that look like interceptors but aren't.

it's arguably better to buy nothing and let the UK's supersonic Typhoons and F35's do it than it is to provide another Irish half arsed effort as usual.

punchdrunk · 30-08-2021 10:35AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117818935#Comment_117818935

Sad state of affairs isn't it? and all the more reason for us to do it ourselves and do it properly, if we had a halfway functioning opposition party they would be emphasizing this huge gap in our capabilities because the public are clueless to it.

Gary kk · 30-08-2021 02:20PM

There is no votes in it not enough anyway. More votes in water charges and such

Larbre34 · 30-08-2021 03:35PM

Just wait for the lipservice that will be paid by Govt and opposition alike, to the Naval Service on its 75th Anniversary this Wednesday.

sparky42 · 30-08-2021 06:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117822158#Comment_117822158

Opposition parties take advantage of issues that are important to voters and can hurt the government, the state of the DF is sadly neither.

sparky42 · 30-08-2021 06:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117823729#Comment_117823729

Yep, maybe at most something about the Lake class being bought, other than that the square root of Jack, along with the good old “waiting for the Commission” to cover their asses.

Hell the BBC seem to have done a better job marking it:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58174618

Larbre34 · 30-08-2021 08:26PM

Yeah it did occur to me would they announce the acquisition of the Kiwi boats on Wednesday.

Its not for no reason that they are beginning the mini fleet-review and salutes in Dun Laoghaire. I suspect the new naval station (probably a slight exaggeration) will be announced.

sparky42 · 30-08-2021 09:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117824996#Comment_117824996

Hadn’t seen that they were starting that there but yeah it does suggest that it’s a likely announcement, if we had more crew and Covid wasn’t an issue it would be great to sail them here but I’m guessing they will be transported here.

Larbre34 · 31-08-2021 09:46PM

Not sure what he brings to event anyway, it's about the Service, it should be about the President as Supreme Commander and representative of the people, the DF Brass, the FOC, and the men and women in service and those that went before them.

Stovepipe · 01-09-2021 12:37AM

Greece hasnt an arse on it's pants but it's buying the overpriced Rafale....

Larbre34 · 01-09-2021 01:09AM

Most of them second hand from France, who are very happy to do a lucrative deal just to shift a few new ones into the bargain.

Besides, arse or no arse, they do have to contend with the clear and present danger of a belligerent Turkey, who have 400 or so combat aircraft in various states of modernity and a powerful Navy. The issue of natural resources in the Eastern Med and new tensions from Turkish nationalists in Cyprus could result in a sticky situation for these two NATO members.

Stovepipe · 01-09-2021 03:42PM

Oh I get it but Greece played the poor mouth for long enough yet found a few bob down the back of the sofa for new fighters. Even a second hand Rafale isn't cheap and all the back up and support is very expensive. Dassault don't like to give discounts. Greek military experience is very limited so they are right to be afraid of Turkish ambitions.

sparky42 · 01-09-2021 04:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117833506#Comment_117833506

You do get that France has a history of giving loans to nations to buy their equipment, same as the US does at times. I'm guessing the yearly repayments aren't huge, and could be seen as good value if France wins the new Frigate competition. But even at the worst of their crash they kept defence spending relatively high, and have been rejuvenating capabilities like the refit of their PC3's and F16's. Besides which they've been back on the international bond markets for at least a couple of years now, so like us can spend what they have as they please.

Gary kk · 04-09-2021 06:22AM

There you guys Sinn Fein blocked as many housing developments they could. Now the current government are going to be spending 4 billion a year for next nine to make up a short fall. Not saying they wouldn't have had to spend money but I don't think it would have be 4 billion a year. On top of that you have the children's hospital, Irish Water and the pandemic. The only jet the Air Corp will be getting is an RC and probably a cheap one at that.

Sgt. Bilko 09 · 11-09-2021 06:54PM

another 6 to go….

banie01 · 11-09-2021 07:16PM

The RAF equipment plan is seeing all their Tranche 1 Typhoons up for retirement at average of about 42% airframe use.

Tranche is basically A2A variant with near zero ground attack capability. Similar to Austrian variant that they are looking to get rid of. Long Range, twinjet and updated as far as the tranche 1 can be.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/uk-to-retire-tranche-1-typhoons-with-more-than-half-of-airframe-hours-remaining

Our Air policing needs could be met with a squadron of those, and our air transport gap filled with 2 of their soon to be retired C130J's.

Brexit is going so poorly, if we leave it a while to make an offer we could probably get the lot for a few container loads of rice!

There's even a handy little sales brochure 😉 covering everything but the Typhoons.

Interesting that they are claiming the Sig Sauer is suitable for crowd control 😮

https://theaviationist.com/2021/09/09/desa-brochure/

Sgt. Bilko 09 · 11-09-2021 07:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117877921#Comment_117877921

The tranche 1 typhoons are there since 2003, being made redundant by the mass order of F35s

banie01 · 11-09-2021 07:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117878033#Comment_117878033

Which is why they're been retired with over 50% of airframe time left.

What's your point?

sparky42 · 11-09-2021 07:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117877921#Comment_117877921

The T1s have been trouble in service though, I mean there’s a reason why Austria is binning them (and the long running issue of why they bought them in the first place), the RAF has been trying to get rid of them for years now.

As to us buying anything from this, it’s cart before horses all around with no thinking imo. We don’t have enough numbers in the AC right now to meet our current limited tastings and airframes, but somehow everyone on Twitter keeps suggesting how much of a great deal these (mainly the Hercs) would be… As what lawn ornaments when we don’t have anyone to fly or maintain them? If what the AC wanted 20 years ago happened and we had a Herc in service and looking to replace it, why not. But where we are? It makes no sense, no more than suggesting we go out and buy the Type 23 they are flogging of or Argus.

banie01 · 11-09-2021 08:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117878050#Comment_117878050

Agree re the Tranche 1s, the suggestion in my post re those is partially tongue in cheek. It is an aircraft that on paper, ideally fits our needs. Twin engine, well equipped and with sufficient range and redundancy for extended overwater OPs.

The Austrians should never have bought them, but in our case? Were we actually even flying LIFT or replacing existing fighters, they'd certainly be an option.

I've made my feelings clear on the Herc over on the transport thread. It's a capability gap that we have known about for years and that has been glaringly exposed over the past 18 months with PPE flights and then the sojourn to Kabul.

The Casa is what we will get, but the capability of a 295 imo still leaves us short.

The switch to any type of fast jet ops from where we are now? Is as many here have already posted, a matter of political will, fiscal investment and a change of Aer Corps/DF culture that will likely mean it'll never happen. Ideally a lessons learnt report will hammer home how desperately needed Transport is and that will open eyes to the Air policing and Heli issues too.

Fighter jets for the Air Corps?

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