The Minister for Defence's £55 million equipment package for the Air Corps has been welcomed within the defence wing, at a time of growing concern over the capabilities of the short-range Dauphin helicopter for search-and-rescue, and general low morale.
However, Fine Gael's defence spokeswoman, Ms Frances Fitzgerald, said the package still fell short of a clear policy statement on the future of the Air Corps. While welcoming Mr Smith's announcement as a very positive step, she said the purchase of two medium-lift helicopters was the minimum recommended by the Price Waterhouse consultancy review.
The Minister has identified purchase of two medium-lift helicopters and a Squirrel-type aircraft for training as priorities, but the £55 million earmarked over three years could purchase up to four medium-lift helicopters, with three equipped for search-and-rescue at a cost of about £10 million each.
The Minister has said the final decision rests with a civil-military board, but emphasised that it must report back by the end of this month. This is regarded as a significant breakthrough, given fears within the military that the Government might defer a decision on aircraft until after the Air Accident Investigation Unit's report on the Dauphin crash which killed four Air Corps search-and-rescue airmen at Tramore, Co Waterford, last July.
The Price Waterhouse review of 1998, which was accepted in principle by the Government, said the Air Corps "could not take over the State's west and east coast medium-range helicopter search-and-rescue requirements unless it acquired four medium-range helicopters by the year 2002, starting with the immediate purchase of one such helicopter for training and other preparation purposes". It also suggested the replacement of the Dauphins before their due date, given the limited range of the aircraft.
Since last year's crash at Tramore, one serving and several retired Air Corps personnel have made public statements calling for purchase of medium-lift equipment, given the unsuitability of the Dauphin for the hostile sea conditions on the Atlantic margin. The exodus of pilots and air crew from the Air Corps is to be addressed in the Minister's initiative.
