An Cosantóir

defending our airspace been established by means of radio, this would be used instead. The aircraft is then obliged, under law, to follow the military aircraft." The military pilot's last resort is the use of force, although this is a scenario that thankfully has not arisen to date in Ireland but is nevertheless an eventuality that has to be prepared for. All of the pilots in the unit have been trained in the use of the PC-9M's weapons by carrying out live-firing of all the aircraft's weapons systems in the air-to-ground role. They have also been trained in the theory of air-to-air firing, fighter manoeuvre procedures and the air interception techniques described above. This training ensures that if the ADC on the ground decides lethal force is required it would progress much the same way COD 6 does. "It's a matter of escalation as required," said Capt O'Riordan. "For example, you start off by warning the other aircraft by radio that warning shots are about to be used. If this was an insufficient deterrent this would be followed by warning shots. This would be followed by firing aimed shots wide of the target before finally firing aimed shots designed to disable the aircraft if it still refused to co-operate." In order to ensure secure authorisation before firing, pilots will ask for an authorisation code from the ADC. This is to verify the controller on the ground has not been compromised and the firing command is real. | 13 "On the interception you are beyond visual range," Lt Murphy continued, "so you can't actually see the target aircraft. It's about getting yourself into the situation where you can see it. You rely heavily on information from the RGIC, who gives you altitude, location, speed, and track. You effectively use that information to draw a vector diagram and work out what speed and altitude you need to intercept the target aircraft." The air interceptor course culminates in a day-long exercise based on a scenario involving a foreign dignitary's visit. To be able to conduct CAS and DCA The BFM course teaches a patrolling an FTS pilot must complete pilot how to get into the target an air interception course, a basic fighter aircraft's manoeuvre cone by manoeuvres (BFM) course, and a weapons using different aspects of the course involving the HMGs and the FFARs. PC-9M's capabilities, such as With Ireland taking over the EU presispeed and manoeuvrability. The dency in 2013, FTS carried out a series weapons course teaches the of courses this year in order to achieve pilots how to use the weapons full operational status for all ground and systems onboard. Weapons are airborne crews. fired in a controlled environment Lt Odhran Murphy, who joined the FTS at ground targets to ensure curin 2010 as an instructor, has just complet- rency and familiarity. ed all three courses. After qualifying as a "For the likes of CAPs we only flight instructor on the PC-9M he moved use the .5" HMGs," said Lt Murphy. on to his combat aviation training. "This "Firing at ground targets gives type of training is very different from you some appreciation of how efflying the Cessnas and Learjet that I was fective the weapons systems are. flying before I joined FTS," said Lt Murphy. But on the BFM course you realise "The courses were excellent and give you just how close you will actually an opportunity to practice flying that have to get to put a target in your you would not normally get. It was a big 'heads-up' display. Thankfully, we change from pulling 1.2G on a Learjet have never been presented with to pulling 4.5G on the PC-9M with such a scenario." weapons fitted." CAS and DCA patrolling have The air interception phase deals with brought another dimension to the events beyond visual range. The PC-9M Air Corps' capabilities. Having the does not have onboard radar so if it is ability to defend our own airspace 20km away from a target the pilot has to is an essential part of our sovermanoeuvre in order to get a visual with eignty. In addition, for the duration the aircraft. As part of this training the FTS of the EU presidency next year pilots use the various other aircraft in the there will be many foreign leaders Air Corps fleet to practise interceptions visiting our shores and protecting on. Whatever about finding a Casa cruisthem on land and in the air must ing along at high altitude with its large be guaranteed. The Air Corps will cross-sectional profile, a Cessna 172 at low have an important role to play in altitude is not that easy to spot. accomplishing this task. www.military.ie the defence forces magazine

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