The Government has signed a deal worth almost €100 million for the purchase of four new military helicopters.
The new Airbus H145m aircraft will replace and expand the Air Corps’ small fleet of light utility helicopters. The services’s two existing EC135 helicopters are approaching the end of their service life and are due to be scrapped in 2027.
The Air Corps will take delivery of the new aircraft from Airbus sometime early in 2027 in a deal worth €91.7 million plus VAT.
The primary role of the four new helicopters will be training new pilots before they move on to larger aircraft or flying helicopters for the Garda Air Support Unit.
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However, the H145s will also be capable of “intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and light combat capabilities”, the Department of Defence said. They will be capable of supporting Army, naval and Air Corps operations and will be particularly useful for transporting and inserting personnel from the Army Ranger Wing, the Defence Forces elite special forces unit.
They will also come fitted with advanced surveillance technology, including electro-optical and thermal-imagery features not available on the existing helicopters.
The Airbus deal is part of a planned expansion of Air Corps capabilities as laid out in a report from the Commission on the Defence Forces. Eventually, the organisation will also be renamed the Air Force.
The Government has already announced plans for the purchase of a new Air Corps-operated government jet, with twice the range of the existing ageing model, and a long-range, military-transport aircraft capable of evacuating Irish citizens from trouble spots.
There are also plans for the acquisition of larger helicopters, known as super medium helicopters, to replace the Air Corps fleet of six AgustaWestland AW139 aircraft.
A military primary radar system to detect maritime and airborne threats is also being planned while work will begin soon on upgrading the airside infrastructure of the Air Corps headquarters at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnell, Dublin.
A major challenge for the Defence Forces will be finding enough pilots and technicians to fly and service its new aircraft. Like the rest of the military, the Air Corps’ abilities to carry out missions has been significantly hampered by an exodus of trained personnel to the private sector in recent years.
The Air Corps currently has 677 personnel, well below its establishment strength of 886.
“The procurement of the Airbus H145M helicopter platform is another important step on the journey of transformative change of our Defence Forces,” said Defence Forces’ Chief of Staff, Lieut Gen Seán Clancy.
“These new light multirole helicopters, proven in their service in other militaries, will not only enhance the Irish Air Corps’ rotary capability but will also serve as a critical enabler to the Army, Naval Service and Special Operations Forces.”
Air Corps chief Brig Gen Rory O’Connor said the new helicopters “mark a significant milestone” for the organisation.
“These helicopters will also play an important role in shaping the next generation of rotary-wing pilots, ensuring the Irish Air Corps remains agile, adaptable, and mission-ready for years to come.”
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