An Cosantóir

24 AIRBORNE MARITIME DEFENCE & SECURITY OPERATIONS AIRBORNE MARITIME DEFENCE & SECURITY OPERATIONS The Irish Air Corps (IAC), along with many other state in- stitutions, is celebrating its centennial in 2022. Through- out its one-hundred-year history, the IAC has exercised many different capabilities in support of the Irish State, and the connection of aircraft and the ocean has been present from the outset. The first aircraft procured for the soon-to-be Irish Free State was a Martinsyde Type A Mark II which was intended as a quick reaction 'puddle jumper' to evacuate the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiation team across the Irish Sea to the comparative safety of the Nation of Ireland in the event of a breakdown of talks. Later that same decade the first East to West crossing of the Atlantic Ocean launched from Casement Aerodrome with an IAC Officer on board. While none of these events were directly associated with maritime surveillance, they were early indicators of how certain geo-political and security problems associated with an island nation can be mitigated through the application of aircraft. The onset of WWII in 1939 saw the delivery of three Walrus Amphibian aircraft which could arguably be described as the IAC's inaugural Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA). These were single-engine biplane types with an ability to land on either water or paved runways. The relatively high positioning of the biplane aerofoils and the cabin/cockpit/observer station configuration made it a competent coastal surveillance platform. However, it was only effective during daylight and reasonable weather conditions. In the hands of belligerent nations, it was used as an effective maritime Search and Res - cue aircraft (which included water landings to retrieve downed aircrew) and aerial spotter aircraft for large gun battleships and cruisers. The IAC would have to wait another five decades to receive a more robust all-weath- er day/night search radar equipped MPA. A couple of years earlier a small number of Avro Anson multi role aircraft had been delivered and later supplemented by additional aircraft in 1939 to give a total of five such airframes. Although not a purpose-built reconnaissance aircraft, it was employed in that role, albeit confined to shore-based runways. At the outset of World War II, 2 x Walrus aircraft and 4 x Anson aircraft were based in Ri- neanna airfield (now Shannon airport) for the purpose of conducting coastal patrols and this detachment was the forerunner of today's modern 101 'Maritime' Squadron. The Walrus and Anson aircraft gave way to the De- Havilland Dove in the 1950s (the first Dove arrived in 1953 with an additional later that decade and a third and fourth in 1962 and 1970). Although intended as a multi-role utility aircraft, its respectable endurance and twin-engine design, also allowed it to undertake coastal surveillance flights when required. Accession to the then European Economic Community and associated Fisheries Protocols highlighted the requirement for a full-time maritime surveillance capability and, as an interim measure, two Beechcraft Super King Air (BE SKA) aircraft were procured to fulfil this capability gap commencing operations in 1977. The SKAs were not equipped with a bespoke maritime surveillance suite and largely relied on the nose mounted weather radar and visual observation fromwithin the aircraft cabin. This interim solution lasted some 14 years until the pro - curement of a dedicated MPA capability, which entered service in December 1994 in the guise of a pair of CASA CN235-100 aircraft. (Note: as the SKAs could no longer be retained in reliable service, a single Transport Variant CN235 on loan from CASA was operated for over two years as a visual surveillance platform, while the dedicat- ed MPAs were being manufactured). The employment of the CN235s, equipped with a 360 degree search radar, Forward Looking Infra-Red Camera By Lt Col Conleth Walsh, SSO Operations The Air Corps' first maritime surveillance aircraft. Transport aircraft used as a back up to the Walrus.

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