A NEW cargo aircraft for the Irish Air Corps has landed in Dublin this week.
Its arrival at Casement Aerodrome marks the third Airbus C-295 aircraft to be delivered for the Irish defence forces in the past two years.
The Irish Government has spent €300m in total on the three C-295 aircrafts.
The first two maritime patrol aircrafts, which were manufactured in Seville, Spain, were delivered in late 2023.
This third aircraft is the cargo variant of the patrol aircraft, which will be used to carry military freight, humanitarian aid and troops across the globe.
“The State’s investment of approximately €300m in three C-295 aircraft and associated costs represents the largest equipment acquisition project ever undertaken for the Defence Forces,” Tánaiste Simon Harris said as he welcomed the aircraft’s arrival.
Ireland’s third new Airbus C-295 aircraft has landed in Dublin“This significant investment is an indication of the Government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that all branches of the Defence Forces continue to retain a range of flexible conventional military capabilities to meet the roles assigned,” he added.
Later this year the Air Corps will also accept delivery of a Dassault Falcon 6X strategic reach aircraft, capable of a range of 5,060 nautical miles and a passenger load of 14. The value of that contract is just below €53m.
“The procurement of the C-295 aircraft and the Dassault Falcon 6X strategic reach aircraft, of which we will take delivery later this year, represents a significant enhancement of the State’s transport, airlift and medical capabilities, and is further evidence of the Government’s ongoing commitment to enhance the capabilities of our Defence Forces,” Mr Harris added.
“These aircraft are destined to play a very important role here in Casement Aerodrome over the next quarter of a century, supporting the men and women of the Air Corps and the wider Defence Forces in performing the roles assigned to them by government,” he explained.
On the delivery of the C295, the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy said the “continued development of the Air Corps’ capabilities through the transport variant of the C295 will offer a flexibility to not only the Defence Forces both at home and overseas, through troop transport and logistics movement, but also the Irish state and citizens by providing services such as medical transfers or non-combat evacuations should the need arise”.