Seeing as the Irish Air Corps are too small to provide serious oomph to any real force, how about a focussed specialisation of effort to areas where ther may be few aircraft provided to EU / NATO / UN missions.
A few of these roles could be as follows:
CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue)
ABFAC (Airborne Forward Air Control)
Maritime interdiction
SF Support (Special Forces)
Forward Medevac
Realistically, troop and materiel movement capabilities are limited with the type and number of aircraft in service, but as was seen with the build up for Chad, it was bloody difficult to get ANY helicopters or other air support into theater, let alone of the size the deployment needed.
However, once in theater, the roles to be carried out OUTSIDE of troop movement and cargo resupply do not generally justify the use of a large aircraft that is a big asset and a big loss if sent to do a risky mission. The aircraft that the corps currently have can fulfill many of these roles.
With a full casevac system in place, the 139 can do the forward casevac role, quicky and easily within the AO of the usual deployment of troops in Chad or Kosovo. With the full air ambulance kit, it can do much more than just remove the soldier to the first point of treatment, it can help (with appropriately trained medical staff) to stabilise the casualty and move him or her to a full treatment facility.
The 139 could also do the CSAR role effectively with the FLIR, NVG, roping insertion, protection, hoist and capability to carry sufficient personnel to provide ground cover to recover personnel wounded or on the run from an enemy force.
The 135 could act in the ABFAC and artillery support role using NVG and FLIR and the standard radio kit and can assist with intel mission and battlefield taxi for effective personnel.
Even the Kingair could fill the ABFAC / FOO role as could the Cessnas and PC9s as well as the PC9s providing an element of light strike.
The CASA could act in the surveillance and interdiction role in the Gulf off Somalia as could the Kingair and Lear albeit less effectively.
The SF role is inherently flexible and generally can be carried out by the helicopters we currently have.
If the corps can be the jack of all trades and the master of none at the moment, why not make it the master of a few trades and focus its attention on gaining some respect for that which it does well. My primary reasoning is the CSAR and medevac model. We have a cadre of people now who have a huge amount of SAR skill in all terrain by day and night, along with a fast, powerful heli with multiple seating and medical and deployment configurations and the capability to defend itself effectively. Why not focus on providing a capability that others have in small number, similar to our own DF and marketing those capabilities internationally.
I mean, there is no point in saying that we have an air force, so why not be a force multiplier and specialise?
It's been a while since I last posted, hapy new year to all and I hope santa was good to you all too!
