Vol. 561 No. 5
108 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Defence when it is expected that new training aircraft for the Air Corps will be supplied; the total value of the tender; if the aircraft will be purely for training purposes, or if they will have any defensive capability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4673/03]
A contract was signed on 18 January 2003 for the supply of eight turbo propeller training aircraft for the Air Corps. These aircraft will replace the Siai Marchetti aircraft in the pilot training role. The award of the contract followed a tender competition.
The new aircraft type to be supplied is the Pilatus PC-9M, manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft Limited, Stans, Switzerland. The cost of the aircraft is approximately €60 million, inclusive of VAT. Delivery of the aircraft will take place during 2004.
Modern trainer aircraft were identified by the Air Corps as being their main equipment priority. These aircraft will allow for the continued training of young cadets to the highest standard and is a realistic response to the needs of the Air Corps and the Defence Forces.
While these aircraft are being obtained primarily for pilot training, they will be capable of being armed and as such will have a limited defensive capability.
The Minister answered the question on the cost of the aircraft. Will he repeat the figure because there is a little ambiguity about the figures being given out?
The Deputy is being very hard on me today.
I must be because there is ambiguity and ambivalence in the Minister's replies.
And evasion and everything else.
Has the training for the pilots started? Why will it take until 2004 for delivery?
For the third time today, the figure is €60 million. There is no change, no difference, no deviation – everything for €60 million. We signed a contract for these aircraft which have to be built. They will be delivered between March and June 2004, which is a relatively short time.
At present, training goes on in the existing Air Corps aircraft. That is as clear as crystal.
The Minister mentioned that the aircraft have a limited defensive capacity. Do they come equipped with such weaponry? To protect the investment, are the hangars big enough to hold the planes? Will they be here in time for protection duty during our Presidency of the EU?
As I indicated earlier, these are primarily training aircraft used virtually exclusively by the Air Corps for training purposes. They have a limited defensive capacity but are not envisaged for use in any of the circumstances the Deputy outlined.
As far as I know, neither aircraft nor ships are purchased with the military system attached. That is carried out subsequently by way of a different type of contract with a different company, but the arrangements for the type of military equipment concerned would obviously have to be negotiated with the manufacturer in advance.
If these jets are to be used for training purposes, what aircraft are available to the Defence Forces for defensive purposes?
As I indicated earlier, there is limited ground-to-air capacity, some guns and missiles, but nothing elaborate. There are about four main types, from my recollection. I will give the Deputy the details of what we have, but it is extremely limited ground-to-air capacity.
To what extent are the full training aircraft requirements of the Defence Forces being met in this particular package, in other words, how many training aircraft were required in the first instance and is this sufficient to meet those requirements?
It is absolutely sufficient.
