According to the Irish Equipment Development Plan 2020-24 published on June 26, the Government of Ireland is considering the purchase of military jet aircraft that would have the capacity to intercept high-altitude planes and fully police Irish skies

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Ireland lacks aircraft that can climb high enough or go fast enough to intercept Russian aircraft. As a result, Ireland and the UK have an agreement to allow British combat aircraft to overfly the Republic. Pictured here, RAF Typhoon intercepting a Russian aircraft in the Irish sky on March 2020 (Picture source: RAF)

A new five-year Defence Forces investment strategy document  includes the potential for “air combat interceptors”. For now, no decisions have been made.

“Consideration of Air Combat Interceptors would be dependent on additional funding,” the Defence Forces – Equipment Development Plan 2020-24 document states.

The Air Corps has previously used both the De Havilland Vampire, a British jet fighter, and the French-designed Fouga Magister jet trainer aircraft. It also continues to operate the Ministerial Air Transport Service jet aircraft; however, the type of plane under consideration would represent a major upgrade in technology.

De Haviland Vampire (Picture source: RAF)

Fouga Magister (Picture source: Dmottl)