Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2004
39 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Defence the proposed role of the Pilatus aircraft being acquired by the Air Corps; the capacity that is available to the Air Corps to protect this country against airborne terrorist attack; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13473/04]
View answer107 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the total number of aircraft available, both fix wing and helicopters, to the Air Corps with adequately trained staff on a 24 hour basis; the call out time in the event of a terrorist attack; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13659/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 107 together.
The most important defence against a terrorist attack is detection and prevention by the security forces. While the Garda Síochána has primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State, one of the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of aid to the civil power, meaning in practice, to assist, when requested, the Garda Síochána. The various components of the Defence Forces are active in this regard, providing such assistance as is appropriate in specific circumstances.
A key issue in detection and prevention is the availability and effective analysis of information and intelligence. The likelihood of a terrorist threat to Ireland is being continually assessed and there is ongoing contact and very good co-operation between the Garda and the Defence Forces in this regard. The advice available to me suggests that there is no reason to believe at this time that Ireland or Irish airspace is a direct target. However, it is prudent that we take precautions and keep matters under continuous review.
The assets available to the Defence Forces are related to the level of threat and are considered appropriate in this regard. An air defence capability requires the integrated use of aircraft, radar and air and ground based weapons systems. The Defence Forces have a limited ground-to-air capacity, and that has always been the position. The new trainer aircraft will enhance the airborne elements of our air defence capability. However, we will still continue to operate a limited air-to-air and air-to-ground defence capability.
The Air Corps has a total of 21 fixed wing aircraft and 15 helicopters in the fleet. Outside that it would be inappropriate of me to go into detail about the readiness, deployment arrangements or speed of deployment or redeployment of air defence assets. However, all aircraft have adequate numbers of operationally trained aircrew who can operate from Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, which is available on a 24 hour basis as required, and that the shortest call-out time applicable in the Air Corps in certain circumstances is two minutes.
The role of the Pilatus aircraft being acquired for the Air Corps is as a pilot trainer aircraft to train Air Corps pilots in basic flying and in air combat techniques. The aircraft can also be armed with machine guns and rocket systems.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
The Defence Forces have one Giraffe mobile air defence radar with a range of up to 40 km and eight Flycatcher mobile air defence fire control radars with a range of 20 km. Twenty-four Bofors L70 air defence guns were purchased from the Royal Netherlands Air Force following the events of 11 September 2001. These weapons are controlled directly by the Flycatcher radars. The projected capability of these guns allows for the simultaneous protection of four airports plus a reserve. The Defence Forces also have six Bofors RBS missile launchers for use with the Giraffe radar. The radar systems have the capacity to detect overflights by aircraft and the air defence regiment is fully trained in the use of the guns. The weapons systems on the new Pilatus aircraft will provide a further capability in terms of air defence.
Ireland has traditionally had a limited military air capability. Aspirations to broaden the range of available air based capabilities are understandable but have to be balanced against real world constraints. Given the enormous costs involved, few small countries possess the ability to provide a comprehensive air based defence capability. The choice must then lie between maintaining an essentially token force to address all dimensions of national defence or seeking to perform a selected range of tasks to a professional standard. The latter option has been the one chosen in Ireland.
Before dealing with the question, I pay tribute to Air Corps Second Lieutenant Raymond Heery who lost his life when his plane crashed during a training exercise last week. This emphasises once again the risks we ask members of the Defence Forces to take for us on a regular basis.
Given that the Air Corps has been so short of aircraft, the acquisition of the Pilatus aircraft is a welcome development. What is the total value of the contract and when will the rest of the aircraft be delivered? Does the Minister accept that these aircraft are, effectively, only suitable for training purposes and that they have no real defensive capacity in the accepted sense? What capacity has the Air Corps to defend Ireland against airborne attack, particularly an airborne terrorist attack?
I join Deputy Sherlock in expressing sympathy to the Heery family on the death of one of our young pilots, Captain Heery, in very tragic circumstances.
Regarding air defence, the Defence Forces have one Giraffe mobile air defence radar with a range of up to 40 km and eight Flycatcher mobile air defence fire control radars with a range of 20 km. Twenty-four Beaufort L70 air defence guns were purchased from the Royal Netherlands Air Force following the events of 11 September 2001 and these weapons are controlled directly by the Flycatcher radars. The projected capability of these guns allows for the simultaneous protection of four airports plus a reserve. The Defence Forces also have six Bofors RBS missile launchers for use with the Giraffe radar. The radar systems have the capacity to detect overflights by aircraft and the Air Defence Regiment is fully trained in the use of the guns.
The weapons system in the new Pilatus aircraft will provide further capability in terms of air defence and would include machine guns and rocket launchers. The Pilatus is primarily a training facility for the Air Corps. It is a vitally important acquisition because training pilots is one of the most essential tasks the Air Corps must perform in terms of the various roles it will subsequently be asked to perform for the Government and the people. It is essential that the pilots have this facility. Three of these aircraft have already landed here. Later this month and before the end of June the next five, bringing the total to eight Pilatus aircraft, will havearrived here. The total cost is approximately €60 million.
What action would the Minister order, as Minister for Defence, if he were told a hijacked aircraft over the Atlantic was heading in this direction and threatening to crash into a key installation or a city centre? Is it not the case that in such a situation all that could be done would be to appeal to some other country, probably Great Britain, to intercept the plane on our behalf? Does he consider that to be acceptable? I am not suggesting that we spend large sums of money on acquiring fighter aircraft. However, we should have some policy for providing protection against airborne attack.
Some of the richest countries in the world with defence budgets which would shock Deputies McGinley and Sherlock and myself, are unable to deal with the type of circumstance Deputy Sherlock has outlined. I do not want to speculate on such matters. It is clear we have limited ground-to-air and air defence capacity. It is also recognised that nothing can be done to defend against the type of terrorist activity carried out in Madrid. That scenario was far removed from that envisaged in Deputy Sherlock's proposition. However, it illustrates the variety of challenges that can arise in terms of a terrorist attack.
We live in a community of nations where terrorist attacks are usually not just a problem for one particular country but for the world community. As I have emphasised on many occasions, the clearest and most decisive way to deal with such problems has always been effective — detection, intelligence and suppression of a cell before it reaches the stage outlined by Deputy Sherlock. In addition, very critical questions arise in the kinds of circumstances he has outlined, because many bogus things are happening in the world. How truthful is the information? Is this a rogue aircraft or is it totally innocent? Will the people on the aircraft be given an opportunity to regain control? How much time is there to intervene? I do not want to speculate on these matters, but they are very serious.
Deputy Sherlock and others are entitled to ask but, needless to say, in dealing with them and in being absolutely truthful with the public, one must recognise the essential facts. One of those is that the largest and richest countries in the world are grappling with how to confront such situations. We are part of a community of nations that constitutes the EU and with our partners try to the extent we can to confront these issues. I hope the scenario described by Deputy Sherlock does not happen. However, the level of threat to this country as defined by the Garda Síochána, which is responsible for this area, is nothing like that.
