Fighter jets for the Air Corps?

With long range drones and hypersonic missiles I'd say the day of the Aircraft carrier as a game changing weapon in a war of peers is ending. Like the battleship in the 1940s.

Honestly I would go with "too soon to tell", don't think even the Chinese have yet demonstrated they have a detection and kill chain that can work. That being said given the shitshow that is USN procurement, they can't afford even damage to their fleet without some serious issues, and despite the ego of Trump, nothing he's suggesting in the budget will "unfuck" the problems.

Fair enough but we will need a fleet to protect the drone carrier

Maybe Iran would build one for us ..

I know there's a carrier that might got cheap...

It's a dog.

Some very kind person has helpfully labelled the Kuznetsov for ease of location on Google Maps

The B21 is still in development with no idea of final capabilities, or price, touting it as the magic solution is insane, even assuming the US is finally willing to allow other nations to buy it, or that other nations are willing to take on the burden of strategic bombers.

As for naval investment, neither Ukraine or the Falklands prove much of anything, and have nothing to do with the investment of the AUKUS program.

The Australian hornets were well worn by retirement and using them for the AC would have been a nightmare, assuming we won a bidding war with Canada.

They might have been worn, but a US aggressor company inspected them and wanted to buy the lot, but couldn't raise the finance. They were good enough to pound the sh​it out of ISIS in northern Syria quite recently. The 45 offered to Ukraine were what was left after Canada had bought all they wanted, there would have not been a bidding war. The lead time for ordering new fighter jets is very long. Ireland should have a bird-in-the-hand mindset, not be happy to wait another decade or two for Peter Perfect.

You know what else takes a long time, building the infrastructure and people to actually be able to support and use fighter aircraft. The AC doesn't have hundreds of people sitting around doing nothing because we don't have fighters, we don't have all the skillsets and equipment standing by but switched off until the first aircraft arrives. The availability and status of the Australian Hornets, or any other second hand purchases is irrelevant to Ireland at this time.

"...Pilots did report that missiles launched without radar guidance and no launch detection, had passed as close as 150 yards (140 m) from the aircraft...CIA A-12 did take a piece of shrapnel from an SA-2 missile that exploded 100 meters away. ..."

It's time was over.

The PC9's are only notionally planned for replacement from this year, not seven years ago. However I would say arguing the value of 2 stealth strategic bombers is far beyond irrelevant.

The Ukraine war has only made any procurement harder. But at the same time opened up a lot funding for military spending. What opportunities that creates for Ireland is hard to predict, as other countries upgrade.

I don't think anyone can think about military production in Europe in 2010 terms anymore.

With all that has happened, a number of previously inconceivable steps may have to be taken over the medium term.

Orders from outside the EU and NATO European states may have to be blocked, if they would delay deliveries to the European effort, unless local production can be established in a way that would not detract from European demand.

When it comes to planes in particular, 50% increases will not be enough. It will have to be 500%. Realistically, the Eurofighter, Dassault and Saab production lines will need to be making 100 each of the frontline jet models, every year for the next 15 years. With commensurate increases in basic trainers, LIFTs, tankers, lifters, and everything else.

And with a similar step-change needed for ships and armour, as well as armaments, digital technology, field equipment etc, it could be that civilian production of aircraft, vessels and industrial plant and machinery, as well as cars and white goods, need to be sacrificed to get the volumes up.

Mark Rutte and other leading NATO figures and members have been talking about a 'war footing'. I'm afraid all of the above is what a war footing looks like. Not paltry and tokenistic increases.

Well I've been reading that Eurofighter Typhoon UK factory is at a virtual standstill pending hoped for orders. Might not be a bad choice for AC given our neighbouring country can be a ready source for spares/ service/ training etc and a common language....