AC fighter aircraft

[X-RayOne]

When assessing the threat from the Russians and moving the AC to the West, don't forget the threat of a 9/11 style attack on Dublin

well personally....if you're worried about high buildings in Dublin.......I'd encourage anybody willing to fly a plane into the eyesore that is Liberty Hall......

[pym]

When assessing the threat from the Russians and moving the AC to the West, don't forget the threat of a 9/11 style attack on Dublin

[Turkey]

When assessing the threat from the Russians and moving the AC to the West, don't forget the threat of a 9/11 style attack on Dublin

Ya could be right, but I don't see another set of attacks in that style again..

[Jetjock]

When assessing the threat from the Russians and moving the AC to the West, don't forget the threat of a 9/11 style attack on Dublin

You do realise that the only unsecured approach to Dublin is from the west?

[X-RayOne]

in all seriousness though, moving AC to Shannon probably would be a win / win for everybody. AC more efficient in terms of flying hours, etc. for Casa's, heli's throughout the country, facilities already in place, massive cost savings by co-locating with existing ATC, fire cover, maintenance, etc. and Baldonnel is probably the one site, if put up for sale, that DF would sell in a heartbeat and probably make a huge profit off due to its location. use the money to invest in AC and re-structure the whole AC as you shift them west.

[pym]

in all seriousness though, moving AC to Shannon probably would be a win / win for everybody. AC more efficient in terms of flying hours, etc. for Casa's, heli's throughout the country, facilities already in place, massive cost savings by co-locating with existing ATC, fire cover, maintenance, etc. and Baldonnel is probably the one site, if put up for sale, that DF would sell in a heartbeat and probably make a huge profit off due to its location. use the money to invest in AC and re-structure the whole AC as you shift them west.

There might be an argument to sell off one or both of the major barracks in Dublin and relocate to Bal.

Move most of the fixed wing stuff off to the West.

Keep Bal as a secure site for Garda/Army aviation - heli's located next to the troops they're going to be ferrying around the place. It could lead to the sort of revolution in thinking we need re: deploying helicopters etc.

[ropebag]

When assessing the threat from the Russians and moving the AC to the West, don't forget the threat of a 9/11 style attack on Dublin

if you put a pair of Gripens at R5 at Shannon, and had them fly supersonic to Dublin with minimal external stores, you're probably looking at 12 minutes or so until they were overhead - though they'd have been lighting up their targets long before they got to Portlaoise. ASRAAM will cover 30 miles in about 40 seconds...

if you wanted, at particular times you could follow the RAF example and forward base them. Gripen has good STOL capabilities, so Baldonnel would do as a FOB, but Dublin airport would be better.

[pym]

For the hell of it, the kind of space Bal would offer if a runway was shut, versus the existing Dublin barracks - to scale:

[Jetjock]

Excellent idea Pym. Reverse the closed runways for better into prevailing wind capability and runway length.

[pym]

Excellent idea Pym. Reverse the closed runways for better into prevailing wind capability and runway length.

I was thinking about that, but thought that having the recovered sections of the base bisected by the longer runway might overcomplicate things.

Although on reflection, it'd probably be the minimum DMZ acceptable to the warring factions from the two barracks

[expat01]

AC to Shannon makes absolute sense, especially without Msr Horan around to pull for Knock. Galway is no more suitable than Baldonnel and Galway can't be expanded. Anything coming from anywhere but the west will run afoul of the RAF before it hits Dublin.
But put the AC in Shannon and watch the helicopters become taxis to Dublin.....

[ropebag]

And watch the media go up the wall...

[Flamingo]

Of course, it could always be said they are being moved to Shannon provide additional security cover for the USAF flights. The Yanks might actually buy this and give a significant discount on hardware and training, and the crusties would all have a stroke. Win-Win!

[morpheus]

I dont understand why we cant retain helis in dublin and place fighters in shannon anyway.

[FMolloy]

If you were looking at making a pact with a foreign country, perhaps France would be more palatable to public consumption.