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Any US military aircraft landing/refueling in Ireland?

  • 11-03-2026 10:36PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    I hope you are well.

    I am wondering,with the ongoing war in Iran, are any military aircraft using Irish airports as a stop off point on their journey to the Middle East?

    I know that in spite of the UK's 'defensive usage' policy...many bombers are transitting through RAF bases in the UK..

    Thank you,

    A



«1

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,778 ✭✭✭California Dreamer




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭Arequipa


    is that a policy decision by the government... or maybe the US military doesn't need to refuel here?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,057 ✭✭✭thomil


    They don't need to, really. Long-range bombers like the B-52 or B-1 can make the trip from the US to Europe without refuelling. The same goes for airlift aircraft like the C-17, C-130, or C-5. Fighter aircraft will likely either rendezvous with a mid-air refuelling tanker somewhere over the Atlantic or be accompanied by one, such as a KC-46, for the entire trip.

    Also, why would you land in Ireland when you have secure bases like RAF Fairford or RAF Lakenheath just thirty more minutes of flying time further to the east? Whilst both of these are technically RAF bases, they've been hosting US squadrons and detachments for ages at this point, so they're properly secure, have the necessary maintenance, refuelling and re-arming facilities to properly service, for example, a six-aircraft flight of F-15s that have just come in from the US, and provide proper housing and dining facilities to allow for the pilots to recover as well. None of that is present here in Ireland.

    What Ireland, more specifically Shannon, does get is civilian airliners chartered in by the Pentagon to transport soldiers and/or their dependents into an out of Europe or the Middle East. However, those are just that, civilian aircraft owned by civilian airlines and operated by civilian crews, the only thing military about them is the passenger list. The only time I've seen actual US Air Force aircraft land in Ireland was when they were either related to a government visit or due to an emergency landing.

    Good luck trying to figure me out. I haven't managed that myself yet!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭Arequipa


    Thank you for information...

    I know the British government decided to allow their bases to be used for defensive operations...

    The B1 and other aircraft landing in the UK,dont look like they are going on defensive missions.. but maybe there have agreements in place as part of NATO to use these bases..?

    I remember years ago..possibly during the Iraq wars, US military aircraft landed regularly in Shannon and some protesters got arrested for interfering with them on the airfield...



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,292 ✭✭✭cml387


    No warplanes landed in Shannon. There were large movements of troops, as Thomil has pointed out using civlian charters.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 988 ✭✭✭vswr


    AC-130 in 2013... was flightplanned as a normal C-130. Was an interesting day when that turned up.



  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 10,305 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tenger


    1000306589.jpg

    Thomil gave a detailed response above.

    I will explain the screenshot about (from ADS-B app) you can see the USAF C-17 avoiding Irish airspace enroute to Germany or Israel. Over the last 2 weeks we have seen dozens of such aircraft passing to the north or south of us.

    The 3 aircraft over Cornwall are KC-135 tankers. (Zoomed out looks like 1 or 2) They took off from Lakenheath or Mildenhall, perhaps they are heading towards the Mediterranean.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 475 ✭✭PreCocious


    There have been plenty of marked US air force planes in Shannon over the past while. A C130 was there earlier in the week.

    10428.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,057 ✭✭✭thomil


    Probably weather related, needing to top up their tanks before going transatlantic. Just checked some websites, and it looks like there are some pretty considerable headwinds for aircraft flying westwards across the Atlantic, down to relatively low levels. I'm talking beyond usual jet stream levels…

    Aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules, which @PreCocious posted a screenshot of, will need to have full tanks before going transatlantic, so I guess they dropped in to top off their tanks. Interestingly, the aircraft in question, which is supposedly headed to Halifax, is flying a southerly course that should take it away from the worst headwinds, but also means a longer flying time and a need for more fuel.

    Screenshot 2026-03-13 at 15.09.43.png

    Good luck trying to figure me out. I haven't managed that myself yet!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,579 ✭✭✭EchoIndia


    This Dáil response sets out the official position on the transit of Irish airports or airspace by military aircraft, of whatever nation. As other have pointed out, aircraft pass north and south of the country all the time and, for many years now, the US have very largely ceased to overfly Ireland with their heavy transport types.

    https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2026-02-24/219/



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 475 ✭✭PreCocious


    And here's another one.

    10464.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 415 ✭✭Condor24


    Heard that Hercules overhead near Tullamore a short while ago. So what is our government policy then? That's a US military craft. This is typical Irish head in the sand whataboutery.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,579 ✭✭✭EchoIndia


    Read the link at post #11 above. That is the policy.



  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 13,467 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cookiemunster


    Plenty of countries use Shannon to refuel, not just the US. German Luftwaffe, Canadian Air Force, French Air Force, Belgian Air Force and Dutch Air Force are among the many who've used Shannon for refueling or training in recent years.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 415 ✭✭Condor24


    So if a Russian plane hypothetically makes a diplomatic refuel request these days it will be granted?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 988 ✭✭✭vswr


    If they were allowed to, yes.

    Current sanctions don't allow any Russian registered aircraft into EU airspace.

    Special dispensation for certain diplomatic and nuclear flights.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 994 ✭✭✭HTCOne


    If a foreign military transport aircraft isn't carrying munitions or directly involved in a conflict, it can refuel in Ireland. For example a number of C130s passed through Eastbound recently that were set up for firefighting. They could be carrying medical supplies, or food, or oil/fuel, or engine parts, or nothing at all and are just positioning.

    Remember anything that you can see on FR24 wants to be seen, if a military aircraft ever has anything to hide, you wouldn't see it on there.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 988 ✭✭✭vswr


    C-17 into Shannon today, weather divert from a flight that was Spangdahlem to Prestwick.

    Spangdahlem being the airbridge EU hub between the US and mission locations in the Middle East for the Iran war.

    Oul Shannonwatch will be all over it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 988 ✭✭✭vswr


    Interesting that C-130 that landed in Shannon as RCH123 the other day, ended up in Fairford today, unloading pallets.

    Fairford currently has 2 active missions ongoing:

    -U-2 operations

    -Bomber operations in Iran



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,252 ✭✭✭scotchy


    image.png

    now.

    💙 💛 💙 💛 💙 💛



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,523 ✭✭✭✭smurfjed


    Excellent, Shannon needs the landing fees :)



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 988 ✭✭✭vswr


    anyone know if there is an active Shannon arrivals/departure blog?

    Very interesting aircraft landed yesterday (if true).

    Reach 620. No Mode-S (hasn't used it in months). Unmarked USAF C-40 (737).

    Mysterious USAF C-40C Clipper With No Registration but With New Livery - Research Notes - Crystal Peak - Obsidian Publish

    Untitled Image

    seems to appear in regions when the **** hitting the fan.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,579 ✭✭✭EchoIndia


    What time was it supposedly there? No sign or mention of it when I was there for several hours yesterday.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 988 ✭✭✭vswr


    circa 1330-1500 Local. May not have landed there, but no one knows where it's ended up.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,765 ✭✭✭✭Oscar Bravo


    CNV4282 reg 168981 landed around 1430, that the one? Boeing C-40 Clipper



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 988 ✭✭✭vswr


    No, same type though. This one is a discrete USAF one.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,872 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    I'm nearish to Shannon. This flew overhead on approach in 2016. It appears to be dedicated to logistics and just moves 'stuff'.

    C-130.jpg

    But you are right, it was more an exception proving the rule.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,872 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    It's called realpolitik. Trump could destroy Ireland's economy with a twitch of the pen.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,579 ✭✭✭EchoIndia


    Nope, that BBJ didn't land at SNN.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,511 ✭✭✭✭expectationlost


    Its the numbers of them (and what they are doing) that's the difference.



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