A large, technologically advanced aircraft has recently been bought by An Garda Síochána, and it’s set to be in operation by the following year. Being considerably larger than its predecessor, the Britton Norman Defender, a 27-year-old British model, this new aircraft signifies an upgrade. The Garda preferred not to divulge any details about the model or its cost, but it is speculated to be the De Havilland Twin Otter Guardian, a Canadian model, which approximately costs €6.5 million before fitting with surveillance gear. An allowance of €7 million for a new aircraft was included in last year’s budget.
Come its date of operation, the plane will be managed by two pilots, as opposed to the single pilot operation of the Defender, along with a team of specialist Garda operating the surveillance equipment. Air Corps officers are expected to pilot the aircraft, with maintenance carried out by Air Corps technicians. There have been some concerns raised over sufficient personnel to manage this new aircraft.
Focused entirely on surveillance and information collection, the high-flying aircraft is designed to be undetectable from the ground and capable of being airborne for prolonged periods. It has traditionally been used by Garda to oversee activities of criminal organisations. Last month, the De Havilland Aircraft of Canada announced a sale of a Twin Otter Guardian to a European country for surveillance use.
Once equipped with a plethora of surveillance technologies and cameras, the aircraft can keep track of ground activities from an altitude of 5,000ft. It can also be modified for medical evacuations, although it’s yet to be confirmed if this use will come into play. The Guardian aircraft, capable of transporting 19 people if converted to a passenger mode, can cover a maximum range of 1,400km and stay aloft for a duration of up to seven hours.
The government has also sanctioned funds for a new Garda-operated helicopter, with a choice to acquire another. The current Garda Air Support Unit, which operates out of Casement Aerodrome in Dublin, houses two helicopters, all under the command of Air Corps officers.