DUBLIN, IRELAND — An Garda Síochána’s new high-tech surveillance aircraft, the de Havilland Canada-6 Twin Otter Guardian 400, has arrived in Ireland and has already conducted its first flights, including a patrol along the border region.
The aircraft arrived from Switzerland on Saturday and is based at the Irish Air Corps’ Baldonnel base in south-west Dublin. It was observed flying this morning over Dundalk and north of Cavan, along the Irish border, though it is currently unknown if the flight was a mission or a training exercise.
Key Details of the New Aircraft:
- Model: de Havilland Canada-6 Twin Otter Guardian 400.
- Cost: The project cost is estimated to be around €7 million, covering the aircraft and its sophisticated surveillance technology.
- Mission Role: It replaces the aging Britton Norman Defender. Its primary role, as stated in Garda tender documents, is to provide a “patrol and response capability” focusing on “visual contact flights”—identifying, establishing, and maintaining visual contact with targets day or night.
- Technology: The plane has been outfitted in Austria with high-end equipment, including phone tracking technology, cameras, and surveillance systems with the capability to monitor shipping traffic.
- Crew: The aircraft is piloted by the Irish Air Corps, with members of the secretive Garda Air Support Unit (GASU) acting as spotters and observers on board. It will operate alongside the existing Garda helicopter fleet.
Sources noted that the Twin Otter was specifically chosen for its high-wing design, which was deemed more suitable for surveillance by Garda assessors than the Irish Air Corps’ PC12 aircraft. A competition is currently underway to appoint a civilian contractor to handle the aircraft’s maintenance.
An Garda Síochána has been requested to provide a statement regarding the new addition to the Garda Air Support Unit.
