AgustaWestland AW139

[warthog]

Is it time to be proactive and team up with UK in terms of replacement for this type? With one dedicated to Air Ambulance (carrying the associated equipment) will we see the type run out of airframe cycles prematurely?

I think the bigger picture here is what do the Air Corps want to be? To me it was the wrong chopper to buy in the first place- too small to really be of use to the Army as a bus too light to really impact logistics
the 139 is perfectly fine for air ambulance/ aid to the civil power stuff but it's purchase really set the AC back in terms of the vision for the units function as part of the wider military
it's not able to be deployed on UN/EU missions as it has no countermeasures fitted and even if it did we didn't buy enough of them for deployments and we don't have the crews to fly them.
So we engage in tokenism yet again; a few nice pics on the defence forces facebook page of aerial gunnery with the GPMG, the occasional lift of a 105, the odd photo op with the wing...
initially many hoped these steps weren't just window dressing but the beginning of building skills to eventually assume a greater support role to the Army
but the air ambulance service has put the tin hat on that dream, as a chopper it's really had no tangible impact on the wider DF ops...no disrespect to the crews who do an amazing job but to me this air ambulance role should have gone to civvy street.
So to answer your question why buy new choppers if they're never going to leave the nest that is the Don and never deploy abroad or operate from a ship?
let them live out their days doing admirable work saving lives and in the mean time hope for someone with a bit of vision to assume office and shake the whole AC up.

[DeV]

I think the bigger picture here is what do the DoD want the Air Corps to be?

Fixed that for you

[warthog]

Fixed that for you

oh 100%, the DOD are the boot on the neck here and gov are indifferent at best.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/irel...31109?mode=amp

it will be interesting to see exactly what the GOC is proposing here, 17mil isn't a lot of chopper so are they seeking more 139's??

IIRC the S-92 has a ballpark 40mil price?

[na grohmiti]

H175 comes in around that price. No doubt Eurocopter (with its long history working with the Irish Air Corps) would love to be back in the SAR game.

[DeV]

oh 100%, the DOD are the boot on the neck here and gov are indifferent at best.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/irel...31109?mode=amp

it will be interesting to see exactly what the GOC is proposing here, 17mil isn't a lot of chopper so are they seeking more 139's??

IIRC the S-92 has a ballpark 40mil price?

The first 4 x AW139 cost the State € 48.4m (including VAT) in 2005

[na grohmiti]

The first 4 x AW139 cost the State € 48.4m (including VAT) in 2005

€56m in todays money, when adjusting for inflation.

[warthog]

€56m in todays money, when adjusting for inflation.

so roughly €14 mil each which gives a basic fit out price and then add extra few mil for hoists, Flir, medical kit etc
seems to add up to more 139's being the likely offering

[apc]

Worth a punt,

[EUFighter]

Worth a punt,

The S-70 is a great aircraft but I doubt these examples would be a good purchase for the AC. For a start the youngest is more than 30 years old and the ADF Fatigue spectrum is much more demanding o the aircraft than the standard, by about 50%. They did have a lot of corrosion issues early on which they did solve but that means repairs carried over and currently they only operate 50% of the fleet, plenty in storage since 2016.

Also they are under ITAR regulations so the US has a say in if they can be exported. Most likely option is they will be de-militarized and sold locally to fire departments or fire fighting companies. I would expect that for any one sold a few will be stripped of any useful parts to support that sale. Most will end up being scrapped, they are old aircraft and many of their components are no longer available.

It would be great for the AC to get a military medium lift helicopter but then please a new build S-70.

[Sparky42]

So it’s that time of the year it seems with fires in Kerry and Down this weekend, with reports that the Air Corps are responding to the one in Kerry but the article in the Times doesn’t make it clear if it’s the AC responding to the Mourne fires or not (just an Irish helicopter), how much extra wear does the repeated bambie bucket operations put on the airframe?

[Herald]

So it’s that time of the year it seems with fires in Kerry and Down this weekend, with reports that the Air Corps are responding to the one in Kerry but the article in the Times doesn’t make it clear if it’s the AC responding to the Mourne fires or not (just an Irish helicopter), how much extra wear does the repeated bambie bucket operations put on the airframe?

Coastguard responding the Mournes I think.

[na grohmiti]

Coastguard responding the Mournes I think.

HM Coastguard.

[CTU]

BBC were reporting earlier that the Air Corps were involved, Now they are reporting it was the Irish Coastguard. Also seen a report that Edwin Poots was saying that the "Irish Helicopter" will be relieved by an "English Helicopter"

[Chuck]

HM Coastguard.

R116 was on scene to carry 2 fire service members into the Mourne's for a Recce.

[Orion]

Also seen a report that Edwin Poots was saying that the "Irish Helicopter" will be relieved by an "English Helicopter"

The narrow minded tribalism even in times of great danger is breath taking

Can the coast guard helicopters (of either flag) help in extinguishing the fires/s or are they just used for transport?