Long-range radar deal puts Ireland on course to shrink capability gap

BELFAST —  French manufacturer Thales said today that Ireland’s procurement of five company-made Ground Master long and shorter range radars, will “be instrumental” to Dublin developing what it calls a “first fully Recognised Air Picture.”

The firm’s assessment, laid out in a company statement, comes weeks after the Irish Department of Defence announced the order with France’s military procurement arm, Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA).

The militarily neutral nation is acquiring four Ground Master 400 Alpha (GM400a) sensors and one Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission All-in-one (GM200 MM/A) system, as it looks to build out a primary radar capability — a top priority listed by the 2022 Commission on Defence Forces report. The document, which drew on national defense force limitations, made a series of recommendations aimed at strengthening long term planning and modernization.

One submission to the Commission stated [PDF] that “[c]ontinued incursions by Russian aircraft into Irish controlled airspace highlights the importance of primary radar and the dangers of not having such equipment. The lack of such radar not only highlights a lack of capabilities within the AC/DF [Air Corps/Defence Forces] but also presents a major danger to civilian aircraft.”

In basic terms, this capability gap means that Ireland is currently unable to identify or track any aircraft that does not emit a transponder.

“The selection of Thales to enhance Ireland’s sovereign and defence capabilities in a rapidly changing and complex security landscape, underscores our proven ability to deliver advanced air surveillance capabilities,” Martin Soegaard, Thales country director for Denmark, Ireland, Iceland and Baltics said in the statement. “The GM400α and GM200 MM/A, fitted with our cutting-edge sensor technology, will be instrumental in providing the nation’s first fully Recognised Air Picture, thereby supporting Ireland’s national awareness, security and sovereignty.”

The first Irish Ground Master deliveries are scheduled for next year, according to the statement, and Dublin expects to meet a full capability milestone for the new radars before the end of 2028.

Though authorities have not shared the cost of the acquisition, local media have reported an estimated figure of €500 million ($563 million).

Profiling the GM400a, Thales added it can fit in a 20-ft ISO container, registers an update rate of six seconds and offers “exceptional tracking capability, even in dense clutter.”

The firm described the GM200 MM/A as “field-proven” and capable of “simultaneously” detecting and tracking “low to high-altitude targets.” An individual 20-ft shelter houses the radar, mast and power generator unit.

Dublin said last year that a “record” €1.5 billion defense budget would allow “significant progress” to be made on the radar project alongside other big ticket acquisitions including Airbus-produced H145 light utility helicopters.