DF Commission Report

Sure they got 40 years out of the A3s. They might get 30 out of the 139s.

So what went wrong did they push to far asking for the NH90?

Ah, the figleaf of pretending to be doing something, while kicking everything of real value into the never never land:

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2026/06/01/major-dail-row-on-the-cards-as-government-plans-to-end-triple-lock-within-weeks/

Not even going to pretend to be surprised.

In Fairness the dept are still probably confused what the Difference between A Super Medium and Medium is.

Airbus have recently changed the name of the H175M Medium that they offered to the UK to the H175M Super Medium probably to help people of similar mindsets in the DOD around the world.

So if all is True about the 139 replacement we might see some extra H145s bought and painted grey and some extra sticky tape in the 139 fleet telling aircrew not to push buttons.

Heres a good conspiracy theory. Its the early 2000s again and we have an all green uniform comand. They tell DOD what do we need big helicopters for we need more APCs for overseas missions

Procurement of military equipment has changed - it is not Nissan Patrols or Scania lorries etc of before we are looking at, which themselves were 'militarised' civilian platforms. Even the aircraft, ships to a significant extent were relatively straightforward with little embedded military tech. And that was probably alright for then.

Now however, we are now getting into the deeper end of the the pool where the spec, complexity and cost are way beyond our experience, expertise and we are clearly struggling. Throw in a wider rearmament across Europe, shift to buy European, thin domestic knowledge base and this is what we get … I think our 'system' is struggling to manage one equipment procurement at a time, we can see the new armoured fleet purchase was effectively handed to the French to manage. If we are going for NH 90s they are serious pieces of kit and given their operational history you want to know what your are at. We need to realise the metaphorical 'green spraypainted Ford Transits' is not where we are at any longer and resource accordingly.

Insert rambling screech from the Opposition about “EU militarism” while the Government politely nods and laughs.

send Leo, he’s got practice from that Munich event.

Nope. Not with Mark Carney here for a few days, Helen will be too busy.

Who knows, maybe the Canucks will sell us 18 of their older CF-188s as part of a new transatlantic G2G

I mean how flightworthy are their oldest ones at this stage, didn't they have to buy the spares from the old RAAF ones just to keep the fleet going? Sooner they decide whether they are going split buy or not the better for them.

Oh I got that, just wondering out loud how long can they continue to hold up the replacement.

I'd read that we are still looking at the no of vehicles, package composition, when we get them and what we pay stage … i.e. nothing is decided … am I missing something ?

Thks, yes so no real substantial update then, we are still determining what we will get etc …

Pretty much, as I've said, still thinking the French aren't going to get anything like the orders they thought from us. I'd imagine sticker price shock has broken out in the Departments at the cost of anything actually current military spec.

The French are coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peader Tobin from todays PQs

It has been reported that Ireland has signed a memorandum of understanding, MOU, with the French Government around the purchase of military hardware and the training of Irish soldiers by the French army. I understand this may include the location of French soldiers and military hardware in Ireland.

I understand it is to aid interoperability between the two armies. There are major concerns the MOU will limit future procurement competition and therefore push up prices, and there are also concerns as to whether this MOU seeks to provide French military cover to Ireland.

We have already tied ourselves into British military cover in our skies and seas. Many in Europe see the west coast of Ireland as a weakness in military defence-----

I think we have seen great progress here as there is no mention about Neutrality or no issue with French Troops.

But thats probably because of there support in 1798 in killala.