Template:Active Irish Air Corps Aircraft

Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Trainer / Light Attack
Pilatus PC-9 Switzerland Trainer / CAS PC-9M 8[1] Can be armed with machine guns or rocket pods.[1]
Transport
Learjet 45 United States VIP / Air ambulance 1[2]
Maritime patrol
CASA CN-235 Spain Maritime Patrol MPA 100 2[3] To be replaced by two CN-295 MPA in 2023[4]
CASA C-295 Spain Maritime Patrol MPA 2[5][6]
Surveillance
Pilatus PC-12 Switzerland ISTAR / Utility PC-12NG 4[7]
Britten-Norman Defender United Kingdom Police Air Support 4000 1[8] Flown for the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU)[8]
Helicopters
Eurocopter EC135 France Utility / Training P2+/T2 2[9] / 2[10] Of which the T2s are flown for the GASU[11]
AgustaWestland AW139 Italy Utility 6[12]


  1. ^ a b "Pilatus PC-9M". military.ie. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Learjet 45". military.ie. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  3. ^ "CASA CN-235". military.ie. Retrieved 2022-04-22.
  4. ^ "Minister Kehoe Awards Contract for two New Maritime Patrol Aircraft for the Air Corps". Department of Defence. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Minister for Defence welcomes the arrival of the first of two Airbus C295 Maritime Patrol Aircraft". www.gov.ie. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  6. ^ Department of Defence (Ireland) [@IRLDeptDefence] (October 17, 2023). "Monday saw the arrival at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel of the 2nd of two Airbus C295 Maritime Patrol Aircrafts [sic]" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. ^ "Pilatus PC-12". military.ie. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  8. ^ a b "PBN Defender". military.ie. Retrieved 2022-04-22.
  9. ^ "EC135 P2". military.ie. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  10. ^ "EC135 T2". military.ie. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  11. ^ "The Garda Air Support Unit". garda.ie. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  12. ^ "AW 139". military.ie. Retrieved 2022-04-22.