RAF P8 assists in Rescue off Cork....C-295??

greenpilot

In an article in the UK Defence Journal, it is mentioned that a P8 was dispatched as our brand new C-295 was "unavailable".

Why was our MPA unavailable? The UK press firmly believe that we are, in no way, taking our security seriously when even the aircraft that was purchased for this specific reason!..cannot be made available for it's purpose.

The remarks can be read at the end of this article...

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/british-aircraft-crosses-irish-airspace-to-assist-in-rescue/#:~:text=Due%20to%20adverse%20weather%20conditions,to%20reach%20the%20distressed%20vessel.

sparky42

The 295s are still being brought online, it’s no different than the period of IOC that the RAF had when they bought the P8s.

jonnybigwallet

A very leisurely process. Especially when a human life is in danger.

zone 1

irish air force only work 9 to 4

Dohvolle

Not a declared SAR asset. CHC is contracted to do their own top cover.

roadmaster

CHC usually use a second s92 as Top Cover. Sligo & Shannon had been on duty in Galway over the past 24 hours .

Waterford got sent probably as the west coast bases could have been over there hours and could not use dublin for top cover as then there would be no east coast cover hence they asked for outside help. But it easier for some to just blame i the air corps.

EchoIndia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122236954#Comment_122236954

That's inaccurate - but then you probably already know that.

EchoIndia

The UK went for a decade without dedicated maritime patrol capability, between the Nimrod's retirement in 2010 and the P-8 reaching IOC in 2020, but that seems to have been forgotten quite quickly.

vswr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122237707#Comment_122237707

They had coastguard fixed wing assets to call upon on the interim, and there was a number of USAF supported Rescue's which used SOG assets from RAF Mildenhall in the interim. Almost certain French Atlantique's were used in a number of Yacht rescues out past the Bay of Biscay. To make it out there was simply nothing is false.

EchoIndia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122320227#Comment_122320227

I said they had no dedicated maritime patrol capability. That is not false. Yes, there were work-arounds, including, I think, potential use of the UK's own C-130 transports for patrol or SAR, but for a country which post-war had had the Shackleton and then the Nimrod for maritime patrol (and with offensive capabilities), there was a capability gap for a number of years until the P-8 arrived.

vswr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122320696#Comment_122320696

Capability was actually plugged by allied nations Maritime patrol. Which was a bit of an egg on their face moment for the MOD…but it definitely wasn't missing completely.