Ireland wraps up $350m Defence Forces modernisation with new Airbus C295 for Irish Air Corps
October 13, 2025
The Irish Air Corps has taken delivery of its third Airbus C295 transport aircraft, a crucial step towards ending years of dependence on foreign air forces for military and humanitarian operations.
The aircraft, which arrived at Casement Aerodrome on 7 October, marks a major expansion of Ireland’s ability to move troops, evacuate citizens, and deliver aid without external assistance. It completes a $350 million investment, the largest single equipment acquisition in the history of the Irish Defence Forces.
C295 replaces reliance on foreign aircraft for evacuations and aid missions
Until recently, Ireland lacked the capability to carry out its own long-range evacuation or humanitarian missions.
When Irish citizens were stranded in Afghanistan in 2021 after the Taliban takeover, members of the Army Ranger Wing had to depend on French and Finnish aircraft for transport. A similar reliance was seen during the 2023 evacuation of Irish nationals from Sudan, when British and European aircraft provided airlift support.
Those experiences exposed a long-standing gap in Ireland’s defence and humanitarian readiness — one the new C295 is intended to close.
Airbus-built C295M expands Irish Air Corps capability at Casement Aerodrome
The foundation for Ireland’s new airlift capacity was laid in December 2019, when the Department of Defence awarded Airbus Defence and Space in Spain a contract for two C295 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA).
The new transport-configured aircraft joins the two C295 MSAs that entered Irish service in 2023, replacing the ageing CASA CN235-100 fleet that had served since 1994.
Unlike the maritime variants, the latest C295 is a dedicated transport model designed for troop, freight, and humanitarian missions. It can carry up to 70 soldiers, 24 stretchers, or 10 tonnes of payload, and can be configured for medical evacuation or non-combatant evacuation roles — directly supporting both the Defence Forces and Irish citizens abroad.
Government hails $350m modernisation of Irish Defence Forces fleet
Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris described the investment as a landmark for the Defence Forces.
“These aircraft are destined to play a very important role here in Casement Aerodrome over the next quarter of a century, supporting the men and women of the Air Corps and the wider Defence Forces in performing their roles,” Harris said.
He noted that the $350 million project represents “the largest equipment acquisition ever undertaken for the Defence Forces,” underscoring the government’s commitment to maintaining flexible, modern capabilities across all branches of the military.
Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy, Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, said the aircraft’s arrival adds vital flexibility both at home and abroad.
“The continued development of the Air Corps’ capabilities through the transport variant of the C295 will offer flexibility not only to the Defence Forces through troop transport and logistics movement, but also to the Irish state and citizens by providing services such as medical transfers or non-combat evacuations should the need arise,” he said.
The acquisition also fulfils a key recommendation of the Commission on the Defence Forces, which urged Ireland to procure a medium transport aircraft to reduce dependency on foreign airlift support.
Later this year, the Air Corps will also receive a Dassault Falcon 6X, a long-range business jet modified for government transport and strategic mobility.
With a range of 5,060 nautical miles and capacity for 14 passengers, the $62 million aircraft will strengthen Ireland’s overseas reach and logistical resilience.
Globally, the Airbus C295 has become one of the world’s most successful tactical transport aircraft, with more than 300 units contracted across 35 countries.
Spain’s Air and Space Force was the first customer in 1999, while India is now the largest operator with 56 aircraft on order — 16 built in Seville and the remainder assembled locally by Tata Advanced Systems in Vadodara.
