Downtime for new Defence Forces plane

ONE of the Defence Forces newest aircraft spent almost 40% of the last year undergoing maintenance in Spain.

- CILLIAN SHERLOCK

The Irish Air Corps received two Airbus C295 maritime surveillance aircraft in 2023 at a cost of €230m, including funding for associated training.

At the time, the now-outgoing Defence Forces Chief of Staff Sean Clancy said the aircraft provided a "step-change" in surveillance capabilities.