New aircraft for Air Corps bought by State for €32m
The Minister with Responsibility for Defence, Paul Kehoe TD, signed a contract for the provision of three new fixed-wing utility aircraft for the Air Corps in Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel.
The new aircraft type to be supplied is the Pilatus PC-12 NG, manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, Stans, Switzerland. The award of the contract follows an open tender competition.
The new aircraft, which will replace the five Cessna FR172H aircraft purchased for the Air Corps in 1972, will be equipped for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) taskings, logistics support including transport of Defence Forces troops and equipment, and medical evacuation/air ambulance taskings.
The cost of the contract, including equipment fit-out, is approximately €32 million excluding VAT. The first two aircraft will be delivered in 2019 and the third will be delivered in 2020.
Minister Kehoe said: “This investment in fixed-wing utility aircraft for the Air Corps, which is underpinned by the White Paper on Defence, is an indication of the Government’s commitment to ensuring that all branches of the Defence Forces continue to retain a range of flexible conventional military capabilities in order to meet the roles assigned by Government.”
