Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 26 Jun 2001

Vol. 539 No. 1

Written Answers. - Military Aircraft Overflights.

Joe Higgins

Question:

104 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if there has been an increase in overflights of Ireland by military aircraft since the end of the Gulf War; and the daily number of overflights by military aircraft, their origins and destinations. [18852/01]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

There were more than 1,000 fewer overflights by foreign military aircraft in 2000 compared to 1993. Records for 1991 and 1992, the two years directly after the Gulf War, are not available.

The total number of flights by foreign military aircraft over Ireland between 1993 and 2000 was 28,286. The yearly breakdown is shown in the following table. The yearly average number of overflights between 1993 and 2000 was 3,536 and the daily average was ten flights. An increase in overflights was recorded for 1999, but the number dropped again in 2000 to 2,808. The number of overflights by military aircraft to date in 2001 is 508.

Computerised records for the origin and destination of the 28,286 flights between 1993 and 2000 are not available, but the following information shows the breakdown by country of the overflights for each year.

Permission for overflights or landings is given on condition that the aircraft in question are unarmed, carry no ammunition, do not engage in intelligence gathering and are not involved in military exercises.

Year	Number of overflights
1993	3,611
1994	3,402
1995	3,915
1996	4,067
1997	1,251
1998	3,787
1999	5,445
2000	2,808
2001	508

Military Aircraft Overflights, January-June 1993.

	January	February	March	April	May	June
Argentina	0	0	0	0	0	0
Australia	0	0	2	0	0	0
Belgium	5	5	6	7	5	10
Canada	34	43	40	39	37	39
Denmark	0	0	0	0	0	0
Egypt	0	0	1	4	0	0
France	0	4	4	0	3	7
FRG	40	35	35	34	53	47
Great Britain	62	81	80	130	99	77
	January	February	March	April	May	June
Israel	2	2	4	2	4	2
Italy	0	0	0	0	1	0
Jordan	3	0	1	0	0	1
Mexico	0	0	0	0	2	2
Portugal	0	0	0	0	0	0
Spain	0	0	0	0	0	1
Sweden	0	2	0	0	0	0
Turkey	0	0	0	0	2	0
USA	95	70	133	74	131	165

Military Aircraft Overflights, July-December 1993.

	July	August	September	October	November	December
Australia	4	1	0	0	0	2
Belgium	8	7	2	6	1	1
Botswana	0	0	2	0	0	0
Canada	40	40	36	36	36	36
Egypt	0	0	0	4	1	0
France	0	0	0	0	0	0
FRG	4	40	60	40	49	18
Great Britain	81	74	58	74	59	46
Israel	4	2	4	2	2	2
Italy	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jordan	1	0	1	1	0	0
Mexico	0	0	1	0	0	0
Portugal	0	0	0	0	0	0
Spain	0	0	0	0	2	0
Sweden	0	0	0	1	0	0
Turkey	0	0	0	0	0	0
USA	173	176	223	152	117	115

Military Aircraft Overflights, January-June 1994.

Country	January	February	March	April	May	June
Australia	0	0	0	0	3	6
Belgium	3	4	4	3	4	6
Botswana	0	1	0	0	0	0
Canada	39	39	37	38	37	39
Czech Republic	0	0	0	0	0	2
Country	January	February	March	April	May	June
Egypt	0	0	2	1	1	1
France	0	1	1	0	0	0
FRG	31	42	40	22	61	55
Great Britain	70	79	66	65	79	86
India	0	0	0	0	2	0
Israel	2	2	1	2	1	2
Italy	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jordan	2	0	0	0	1	3
Mexico	0	0	0	0	2	5
Netherlands	0	1	0	0	0	0
New Zealand	0	0	0	0	2	0
Portugal	0	0	0	0	0	0
Spain	0	0	0	0	0	0
Sweden	0	0	1	0	1	0
Turkey	0	0	0	0	0	0
USA	115	94	120	127	100	180

Military Aircraft Overflights, July-December 1994.

Country	July	August	September	October	November	December
Australia	1	1	2	0	0	0
Belgium	5	8	3	6	2	5
Canada	42	40	36	36	36	36
Czech Republic	1	0	0	1	0	1
Denmark	0	0	0	0	0	0
Egypt	0	2	0	1	2	0
France	0	0	0	0	0	0
FRG	45	47	48	66	41	23
Great Britain	110	107	86	90	75	29
Israel	3	0	1	2	3	0
Italy	0	0	1	4	0	0
Jordan	1	0	1	1	0	0
Mexico	2	0	0	0	2	0
New Zealand	0	2	0	0	2	0
Portugal	0	0	0	2	0	0
Romania	0	0	2	0	0	0
Spain	0	0	0	0	0	0
Country	July	August	September	October	November	December
Sweden	0	1	0	1	0	0
Turkey	0	0	0	0	0	0
USA	130	135	103	130	80	25

Military Aircraft Overflights, January-June 1995.

Country	January	February	March	April	May	June	Total
Australia	–	–	1	2	–	–	3
Belgium	2	1	1	2	5	6	17
Canada	39	39	37	37	37	39	228
Czech Republic	–	2	–	1	2	1	6
Denmark	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Egypt	–	–	1	–	–	–	1
France	–	–	–	–	–	2	2
F.R. of Germany	18	21	29	55	76	45	244
Great Britain	57	56	32	60	87	81	373
Israel	2	2	–	2	2	3	11
Italy	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Japan	–	–	–	–	1	1	2
Jordan	–	–	1	2	–	–	3
New Zealand	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Romania	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Russian Federation	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Spain	–	1	1	–	1	–	3
Sweden	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
USA	93	111	150	136	166	188	844
Total	211	233	253	297	377	366	1,737

Carried forward 1,737.

Military Aircraft Overflights, July-December 1995.

Country	July	August	September	October	November	December	Total
Australia	3	–	3	–	–	–	6
Belgium	6	3	6	6	5	6	32
Canada	40	40	36	36	36	36	224
Czech Republic	2	–	–	1	–	–	3
Denmark	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Egypt	–	1	1	1	–	–	3
Ethiopia	–	–	–	2	–	–	2
Country	July	August	September	October	November	December	Total
France	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
F.R. of Germany	51	45	67	57	29	18	267
Great Britain	91	94	76	72	37	28	398
Israel	1	2	5	1	3	3	15
Italy	–	–	1	3	1	–	5
Jordan	–	–	2	–	–	1	3
Kuwait	1	1	–	1	–	–	3
New Zealand	2	–	–	4	–	–	6
Romania	–	–	1	3	–	–	4
Russian Federation	1	1	–	–	–	–	2
Spain	–	–	–	1	1	–	2
Sweden	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
USA	215	209	165	165	185	264	1,203
Total	413	396	363	353	297	356	2,178

Carried forward 1,737 plus 2,178 = 3,915 (total overflights for 1995).

Military Aircraft Overflights, January-June 1996.

Country	January	February	March	April	May	June	Total	Details
Australia	1	–	–	2	–	1	4	DA90, B707
Belgium	2	2	4	2	3	4	17	C130, B727
Canada	39	39	37	37	37	39	228	CC130, CC142, CC144, CC137-B707, CC150
Czech Republic	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Egypt	–	1	–	–	2	–	3	G3, B737
F.R. of Germany	33	25	34	39	88	73	292	A310, B707, CL601
Great Britain	59	56	63	138	103	24	443	Hercules, Tristar, VC10, Sea-King Rimrod, E3D C130
Israel	2	4	1	2	6	3	18	B707, C130
Italy	–	2	1	2	1	–	6	DC9, G3
Jordan	–	–	–	4	–	–	4	130C
Mexico	–	1	–	–	–	–	1	757B
New Zealand	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Netherlands	–	1	–	–	–	–	1	KDC-10, G4
Portugal	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Spain	–	–	–	–	2	–	2	P3B
Sweden	–	1	–	–	1	–	2	C130H
Country	January	February	March	April	May	June	Total	Details
USA	185	170	180	189	183	226	1,133	C137, C135, C141, C130, C20
Sub-total	321	302	320	415	426	370	2,154

Carried forward 2,154 (for the period January-June 1996)

Military Aircraft Overflights, July-December 1996.

Country	July	August	September	October	November	December	Total	Details
Australia	–	2	–	–	–	2	4	C130, B707
Belgium	13	3	3	1	6	2	28	DA900, C130
Canada	40	40	36	36	36	36	224	CC130, CC142, CC144, CC137-B707, CC150
Czech Republic	2	4	–	–	–	–	6	IL-62M
Egypt	2	1	–	1	–	–	4	GIII, GIV, B737
F.R. of Germany	51	30	64	60	34	18	257	A310, B707, CL601
Great Britain	49	42	44	101	95	29	360	Tristar, VC10, Hercules, E3D
Israel	1	1	2	1	3	–	8	C130, B707
Italy	–	1	1	2	–	–	4	GIII, DC9
Jordan	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Mexico	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
New Zealand	–	–	–	–	1	–	1	727B
Netherlands	1	–	–	–	–	–	1	GIV
Portugal	–	–	–	2	–	–	2	P3 Orion
Spain	–	–	–	–	1	–	1	P3B
Sweden	–	–	–	–	–	1	1	C130H
USA	231	132	186	154	184	125	1,012	C137, C135, C141, C130, C20
Total	390	256	336	358	360	213	1,913

2,154 plus 1,913 = 4,067 total number of military overflights for the period January-December 1996.

Military Aircraft Overflights, January-December 1997.

Country

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Total

Details

Australia

1

–

2

–

–

2

2

–

2+

9

DA90, B707, C130E

Belgium

1

1

4

2

8

DA900, C130

Canada

39

39

37

37

37

37

226

CC130, CC142, CC144, CC137-B707, CC150

Czech Republic

–

–

–

1

1

CL-601

Egypt

–

–

3

–

3

B737, GIII

Country

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Total

Details

F.R. of Germany

32

21

39

56

78

50

44

58+

678

A310, B707, CL601, CH53 Heli-Copter

Great Britain

41

45

51

45

43

4

229

Hercules, VC10, Tristar, E3D

Israel

4

1

2

2

9

B707, C130

Italy

Japan

–

–

1

–

1

B747-400

Jordan

–

1

–

–

1

C130

New Zealand

–

–

–

–

Portugal

–

–

–

–

Romania

–

–

–

–

Spain

–

–

–

–

Sweden

–

–

–

–

USA

194

203

183

172

7,412

C137, C135, C141, C130, C20

Total

1,251

Foreign Military Aircraft Overflights, January-December 1998.

Country	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec	Total
Australia	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Belgium	9	5	5	7	5	10	10	06	04				71
*Great Britain	73	63	34	66	67	108	113	77	75	30+			706
Canada	2	2	50	50	50	50	50	50	50	50	50	50	504
Czech Republic	–	–	–	2	–	–	–	–	2				4
Egypt	–	–	1	–	1	–	–	–	3				5
France	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
F.R. of Germany	24	16	35	39	58	45	09	50	47	1			428
Israel	5	3	–	2	3	2	1	–	4				20
Italy	–	1	–	–	1	3	1	1	–				7
Japan	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Netherlands	–	–	–	2	–	–	–	–	–				2
New Zealand	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1				1
Portugal	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Romania	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Spain	–	–	–	–	–	2	–	6	–				8
Sweden	–	–	1	–	2	–	–	–	–				3
USA	96	146	162	103	380	383	363	393					2,026
Total													3,787

*Does not include RAF Search and Rescue Overflights.

Foreign Military Aircraft Overflights, 1999 (as of 16 December 1999).

Country

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

Total

Australia

1

–

–

2

–

7

–

–

–

–

–

2

12

Belgium

5

4

5

5

4

6

9

3

5

7

7

7

67

Republic of Botswana

–

–

–

2

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

2

Cameroon

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

1

–

–

–

1

Canada

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

0

Czech Republic

–

–

–

2

–

–

–

–

1

1

2

1

7

Republic of Djibouti

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

1

1

–

–

–

2

Egypt

1

1

1

1

–

–

2

1

1

–

1

–

9

F.R. of Germany

28

24

31

44

52

33

49

32

54

28

24

14

413

Great Britain

49

55

51

75

57

51

29

87

38

36

37

14

579

Israel

–

2

–

–

2

2

3

2

–

–

2

–

13

Italy

–

–

–

–

–

2

–

2

1

–

–

–

5

Jordan

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

0

Malaysia

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

1

1

2

Mexico

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

2

–

–

2

Netherlands

–

–

–

–

–

2

2

–

–

–

–

–

4

New Zealand

–

–

–

1

1

–

1

2

–

2

–

–

7

Peru

–

–

–

–

1

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

1

Portugal

–

–

–

–

2

–

–

–

–

2

1

–

5

Romania

–

–

–

2

–

–

–

–

1

–

–

–

3

Russia

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

1

–

–

–

1

Spain

–

–

–

–

2

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

2

Sweden

–

–

1

–

1

–

–

–

2

–

–

1

5

Ukraine

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

2

2

USA

303

295

356

498

487

556

478

303

318

269

279

260

4,302

Total

387

343

444

632

609

659

573

433

424

365

354

302

5,445

Military Overflights in 2000.

Country	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec	Total
Australia	1	–	–	2	–	–	1				2		6
Bangladesh	–	–	–	2	–	–			2	2			6
Belgium	7	3	9	13	10	8	6	2	8	10	7	7	90
Botswana	–	–	–	1	1	–							2
Egypt	1	–	3	–	1	2				2			9
F.R. of Germany	25	16	26	35	48	48	53	13	51	10	6	12	343
France	–	2	–	–	–	–			1	2			5
Country	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec	Total
**Great Britain	42	75	37	79		127	84	46	7	2	1		500
Greece	–	–	–	–	1	–							1
Israel	–	–	–	2	–	–	3		1		1		7
Japan	–	–	–	–	2	–							2
Mexico	–	–	2	–	–	–			1	1			2
Oman	–	–	–	–	–	–	2			1			4
Romania	–	–	–	–	2	–	2		2				3
South Africa	–	–	–	–	2	–							6
Spain	–	–	–	–	–	2							2
Switzerland	–	–	–	–	2	–							2
Sweden	2	1	–	2	1	–							6
Ukraine	–	–	1	1	1	–			1				4
USA	261	258	285	283	320	370		29					1,806
Total	339	355	368	320									2,808

As of 24 July 2000.

**Does not include RAF Search and Rescue Flights.

Foreign Military Aircraft Overflights, 2001.

Country	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec	Total
Australia	1			1									2
Belgium	6	6	6	10	19	14							61
Republic of Botswana
Cameroon
Canada
Czech Republic
Republic of Djibouti
Egypt		1	3	2	1		1						9
F.R. of Germany	20	20	31	27	9	31		3					141
Great Britain	28	25	35	54	43	69	25						269
Israel			1		1	3							5
Italy				2									2
Jordan
Malaysia
Mexico	2												2
Netherlands				1									1
New Zealand
Oman			1				2						3
Country	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec	Total
Peru
Portugal
Romania
Russia
South Africa						1							1
Spain		2			2								4
Sweden	3	4				1							8
Ukraine
USA
Total													508