The first helicopter in the Irish Coast Guard’s new aircraft fleet has landed at Weston Airport, and over the coming weeks, Coast Guard volunteers, RNLI, community inshore rescue and mountain rescue teams will work with the new helicopter, conducting exercises that replicate everyday search and rescue activities.
The new chopper forms part of the full fleet which will comprise six AW189 helicopters, five of which will be newly built, along with two fixed-wing aircraft. The helicopters will be stationed at Weston Airport in Dublin, Sligo, Waterford and Shannon, to provide day and night, year-round availability. The fixed wing aircraft service will be based at Shannon.
The fleet will enable the Irish Coast Guard to continue to provide world-class maritime, coastal and inland search and rescue services, which have saved the lives of over 300 people this year alone. They will also be used for environmental monitoring, and other essential services including helicopter emergency medical and air ambulance services on behalf of the HSE and National Ambulance Service.
Welcoming the arrival of the new AW189 aircraft, Minister of State at the Department of Transport with responsibility for the Coast Guard, James Lawless, said: “This fleet will enhance the Coast Guard’s capability to deliver a world class search and rescue and maritime environment monitoring services, along with the essential aviation support service provided to other State organisations including the National Ambulance Service, An Garda Síochána, and National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Services.
“Coast Guard personnel are incredibly committed to assisting the public, sometimes in extremely challenging situations. This new fleet ensures that the highest standards of safety and professionalism continue to be met, as they carry out their life-saving work.”
James Lawless, Minister of State at the Dept of Transport with responsibility for the Coast Guard, inside the cockpit of the first AW189 helicopter in the Irish Coast Guard’s new aircraft fleet, one of six which have been ordered at Weston Airport, pictured with Irish Coast Guard’s Assistant Secretary Joanna Cullen and Director Michael O’Toole.
The aircraft service will be operated by Bristow Ireland Limited under under the new ten-year contract, which is set to become fully operational in July 2025. Both the helicopters and fixed wing aircraft will feature a new Coast Guard livery.
The transition from the existing contract is scheduled to commence on 31 October 2024, when Bristow will assume responsibility for Shannon-based operations. The intervening time will be used for training and conducting familiarisation exercises before it is put into active service. The other three bases at Sligo, Waterford, and Dublin Weston will transition to the new contracted service on a phased basis between now and July 2025.
Philip Bartlett, Director of Bristow Ireland (pictured left) said that the scheduled process for introducing the new SAR service for the Irish Coast Guard is now well under way. “We will be phasing in new equipment and new technology to this trusted, lifesaving service throughout the transition period.”
The contract for the new service, which costs in the region of €800 million, was signed in August 2023 following Government approval to award the contract to Bristow Ireland. These new aircraft will enable enhanced fleet resilience with a capacity to land at elevated sites, such as the new National Children’s Hospital. The new AW189 choppers also have lower carbon emissions, and enhanced mission management and communication systems. Maintenance will be carried out at all four bases.
Click here for more information about Bristow’s AW189 helicopters.
