An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir May / June 2023 www.military.ie/magazine 20 | SURVEILLANCE AND AIRLIFT: CHARTING THE FUTURE OF IRELAND'S MARITIME AND DEFENCE AIR OPERATIONS BY CAPT DECLAN HICKEY PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CAPT HICKEY 101 "Surveillance and Airlift" Sqn operate out of No 1 Operations Wing and have primary responsibility for the aerial surveillance and monitoring of Ireland's maritime domain, as well as providing a bedrock for logistical and operational support to numerous State agencies and the wider Defence Forces in the form of troop transport, parachute operations, airlift, air ambulance and prisoner transportation, to name a few. Over the past six decades, the squadron has seen much change, develop- ments and advancements, and 2023 marks the beginning of the latest and most innovative changes to date with the intro- duction of the most advanced aircraft to be introduced to the Air Corps. In December 2020, the Irish Government signed contracts for the provision of two Airbus Military C295W Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) to continue the Irish Air Corps commitments to maritime surveillance and defence, moni- toring of Ireland's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Contracts were signed later in December 2022 for the procurement of a third Airbus Military C295W Military Transport Aircraft (MTA) which will enter service in 2025, providing a strategic medium lift capability. The future of 101 Sqn will undoubtedly see a leap forward in the Air Corps' capabilities, providing a number of new, demanding and exciting opportunities for growth and development throughout Óglaigh na h-Éireann, all built upon a proud and unbroken service providing maritime surveil- lance for almost 50 years. The genesis of what is now 101 Squadron can be traced back to the early 1970's. Membership of the European Economic Community (now the EU) placed responsibility on the State for the policing 132,000 sq nm of fishing grounds, 16% of the total EU fishery area. In 1977 the first of two Beechcraft Super King Air 200 aircraft was taken on task by General Purpose (GP) Flight for fishery protection and coastal surveil- lance. Joined by a second aircraft in 1978, GP Flight quickly expanded the roles to include Search and Rescue (SAR) capability. The King Airs however lacked bespoke surveillance equipment and relied upon the aircraft's own weather radar for vessel location. Two observers were carried and vessels photographed through the window with information passed to the Irish Naval Service for further investigation as neces- sary. Although originally acquired as an interim measure, both King Airs formally became the aircraft of now re-titled "Maritime Squadron" in 1980, dutifully conducting operations until their replacement in 1991. Although effective, the King Airs were unsuited to prolonged flights in the harsh operating environment at low altitude over the Atlantic. Dedicated MPA in the form of two CASA CN- 235 "Persuader" aircraft took up the mantle in 1994 (in the interim the Sqn operated a leased CN-235-100). The "CASA's" (Persuader never really caught on!) represented a significant evolution in the squadron's capability. Equipped with search radar, electro optical (EO) Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) technology and photographer's windows, with integrated links to the on-board mission suite, the CASA's provided a platform for maritime surveillance and information gathering that has led to evolving roles with other maritime agencies aside from pure fisheries monitoring. The Squadron motto "Shúile thar an bhfarraige" (Eyes over the Sea) denoted the squadron's multi-role approach to surveillance in the mari- time domain and has remained in place throughout the CN- 235's operation. A standard Maritime Defence and Security Operation (MDSO) in the CN-235 would last approximately six hours with the ability to loiter for longer durations if required. For fisheries monitoring, the only way to confirm a vessel's activity remains a low-level visual inspection. For this, the aircraft is required to descend to as low as 250' above mean sea level (AMSL) and visually identify and confirm the vessel's activities and mark- ings. While the vessel may be easily identified at range by the EO systems, the verification of identity and activity is still the responsibility of the aircrew (all pilots and radar operators are EU Fishery Inspectors). As the fishing industry contributes C295 in the Hanger New Spanish C295

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