This list identifies the military aircraft which are currently being operated, on order, or have formerly been operated by the Irish Air Corps.
Current Irish military aircraft Military aircraft currently in active service, or on order, with the Irish Air Corps are as follows:
Retired Irish military aircraft With the closure of the Air Corps Museum in 2024, several of its aircraft and other exhibits were transferred to the Shannon Aviation Museum. A De Havilland Vampire and a Miles Magister are on display in the National Museum in Collins Barracks (Dublin).
The following aircraft once served with the Irish Air Corps:
Aircraft Origin # in Service Serial Nos Service Years Notes Fighter aircraft Bristol F.2B Fighter United Kingdom 8 I-VIII 1922-35 Bristol F.2B Fighter Mk.II United Kingdom 6 17-22 1925-35 Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard United Kingdom 4 I-IV 1922-29 RAE S.E.5a United Kingdom 1 II 1922 Force-landed in Mallow and destroyed by Anti-Treaty IRA. Gloster Gladiator I United Kingdom 4 23-26 1938-44 12 more were ordered (#27-30 and #53-60), but not delivered due to outbreak of Second World War. Hawker Hurricane I United Kingdom 12 93, 103-112 and 114 1940-46 One RAF fighter force-landed in County Wexford in 1940 and purchased by Ireland. Eleven more acquired in 1943 from surplus RAF stocks. Hawker Hurricane IIa United Kingdom 1 94 1941-43 RAF fighter force-landed in County Waterford. Interned and used as an advanced trainer. Returned to RAF in 1943. Hawker Hurricane IIb United Kingdom 1 95 1941-43 RAF fighter force-landed in County Meath. Repaired and used by Ireland as an advanced trainer. Returned to RAF in 1943. Hawker Hurricane IIc United Kingdom 6 115-120 1945-47 Acquired from surplus RAF stocks to partially replace the Hurricane Is. Supermarine Type 506 Irish Seafire United Kingdom 12 146-157 1947-55 Aircraft were former LF.IIIs denavalised before delivery. Bomber aircraft De Havilland DH.9 United Kingdom 8 I-VI,7-8 1923-35 Six originally acquired. Additional two attrition replacements acquired in 1929. Fairey Battle TT.I United Kingdom 1 92 1941-46 RAF target tug force-landed in County Waterford. Purchased by Ireland and used as a target tug. Hawker Hind I United Kingdom 6 67-72 1940-44 Planned to acquire 15, but only six were. Used as advanced trainers. Lockheed Hudson I United States of America 1 91 1941-45 RAF coastal patrol bomber force-landed in County Sligo. Purchased by Ireland and used for maritime patrol. Reconnaissance and patrol aircraft CASA CN-235M-100 Spain 3 250, 252, 253 1991-2023 #250 was in use from 1991-95 until #252 and #253 arrived in 1994. Used for maritime patrol. #252 retired to Airbus museum in Seville, Spain. Reims-Cessna FR172H Rocket United States of America 8 203-10 1972-2019 #206 and #210 are on display at Shannon Aviation Museum. #203 is on display at Ulster Aviation Society Museum. Reims-Cessna FR172K Rocket United States of America 1 243 1981-2019 Attrition replacement Britten-Norman BN-2T-4S Defender 4000 United Kingdom 1 254 1997-2023 Operated for Garda Air Support Unit. Fairey IIIF Mk. II United Kingdom 1 - 1928-34 Another four Mk. IV were ordered and later cancelled due to economic cut backs. Supermarine V.S. 236 Walrus I United Kingdom 3 N18-20 1939-45 N18 is on display in Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovil. Transport and liaison aircraft Avro 652A Anson I United Kingdom 9 A19-22 (renumbered 19-22) and 41-45 1937-46 The first monoplanes and aircraft with retractable undercarriage to enter service with the Army Air Corps. Seven more ordered (#46-52), but not delivered due to outbreak of Second World War. Avro Anson C.19 United Kingdom 3 141-143 1946-62 Used as navigation trainers. #141 is on display in the Air Corps Museum. Avro 626 Prefect United Kingdom 4 A10-A13 (renumbered 10-13) 1934-41 Replaced Vickers Vespas. Also used as navigation trainers. Hawker Siddeley HS.125-600B United Kingdom 2 236 and 239 1979-80 Leased for one year for ministerial transport. #239 was an attrition replacement for #236. Hawker Siddeley HS.125-700B United Kingdom 1 238 1980-92 Used for ministerial transport. Beechcraft Super King Air 200T United States of America 3 232, 234, and 240 1977-2009 #232 and #234 used for maritime patrol and retired in 1991. #240 used for ministerial transport and retired in 2009. de Havilland DH.84 Dragon 2 United Kingdom 1 DH18 (renumbered 18) 1937-41 First twin engined aircraft to enter service with the Air Corps. Used as a target tug. de Havilland DH.104 Dove 4 United Kingdom 1 176 1953-70 Replaced Anson C.19. Used for twin-engined training and photographic surveys. de Havilland DH.104 Dove 5 United Kingdom 1 188 1959-61 Replaced Anson C.19. Used for calibration of radar and navigation aids. de Havilland DH.104 Dove 7 United Kingdom 1 194 1962-78 Used for photographic surveys. de Havilland DH.104 Dove 8A United Kingdom 1 201 1970-77 Used for calibration of navigation aids. Gulfstream III United States of America 1 249 1990-92 Leased for two years for ministerial transport. Gulfstream IV United States of America 1 251 1991-2014 Used for ministerial transport. Sold to USA. Hawker Hector United Kingdom 13 78-90 1941-43 Ten acquired from surplus RAF stock in 1941. Three attrition replacements acquired in 1942. Used as advanced trainers. Learjet 45 United States of America 1 258 2004-2026 Used for ministerial transport. Replaced by Dassault Falcon 6X. Sold to USA. Martinsyde Type A Mk II United Kingdom 1 - 1921-27 Acquired in September 1921 and joined the newly formed National Army Air Service in July 1922. Vickers Type 193 Vespa IV United Kingdom 4 V1-4 1930-4 Purpose built for the Army Air Corps. Vickers Type 208 Vespa V United Kingdom 4 V5-8 1931-42 Purpose built for the Army Air Corps. Westland Lysander II United Kingdom 6 61-66 1939-47 Also used as target tugs. Helicopters Aérospatiale SA 316B Alouette III France 8 195-197, 202, 211-214 1963-2007 First helicopters to be operated by Air Corps. #202 is on display at Ulster Aviation Society Museum. The tailboom of #196 is on display at Shannon Aviation Museum. Aérospatiale SA 330J Puma France 1 242 1982-83 Leased for two years for search and rescue and troop transport. Aérospatiale SA 342L Gazelle France 2 237 and 241 1980-2005 Used for pilot training. Aérospatiale SA 365F Dauphin 2 France 5 244-248 1986-2006 Used for search and rescue. #244 and #245 were equipped for naval operations on . #248 destroyed in a crash, 4 people died. Sikorsky S-61N United States of America 1 257 2003-04 Government had planned to acquire three S-61 for search and rescue, with options for two more transport versions. #257 was leased for three years to train crews, but returned after eighteen (18) months when the government decided to completely privatise the SAR role and cancelled the S-61 order. Eurocopter AS 355N Twin Squirrel France 1 255 1997-2008 Operated for Garda Air Support Unit. Trainer aircraft Avro 504K United Kingdom 6 I-VI 1922-32 Avro 621 Tutor United Kingdom 3 A7-9 1930-7 Replaced the Avro 504 Avro 631 Cadet United Kingdom 7 C1-7 (renumbered 1-7) 1932-45 C7 acquired as an attrition replacement. Planes also used for coastal patrol duties. Avro 636 United Kingdom 4 A14-17 (renumbered 14-17) 1935-41 Army Air Corps were the sole users of this airplane. de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus I Moth United Kingdom 4 23-26 1926-35 de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.20 Canada 12 164-175 1952-81 Replaced Miles M.14 Magister. #164 is on display at Shannon Aviation Museum. de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.22 Canada 2 199-200 1965-80 Attrition replacements for Chipmunk T.20. de Havilland DH.115 Vampire T.55 United Kingdom 7 185-187, 191-193, and 198 1956-76 Replaced Supermarine Seafires. First turbojet aircraft to serve in the Air Corps. #198 was delivered in 1963 as an instructional airframe. #191 is on display at Shannon Aviation Museum. Fouga CM.170-2 Super Magister France 7 215-221 1975-99 Replaced the Vampires. #221 was an instructional airframe. #216 and #220 are on display at Shannon Aviation Museum. #218 is on display at Ulster Aviation Society Museum. Hunting Percival Provost T.51 United Kingdom 4 177-180 1954-76 Unarmed advanced trainer. Hunting Percival Provost T.53 United Kingdom 7 181-184, 189, 189A, and 190 1955-76 Armed advanced trainer. #183 is on display at Shannon Aviation Museum. Miles M.14A Magister I United Kingdom 27 31-40, 73-77, and 127-138 1939-53 Replaced Avro 631 Cadets. Ten acquired in 1939. Five more acquired in 1940 as alternatives to Hind I. Twelve more acquired in 1946 as attrition replacements. #34 is on display in the Air Corps Museum. Miles M.25 Martinet TT.I United Kingdom 2 144-145 1946-58 Replaced the Lysanders. Used as target tugs. Miles M.9A Master I United Kingdom 1 96 1940 RAF trainer force-landed in County Louth. Purchased by Ireland and used as an instructional airframe. Miles M.19 Master II United Kingdom 12 97-102 and 121-126 1943-49 Six acquired in 1943 from surplus RAF stocks. Another six acquired in 1945 as attrition replacements. SIAI-Marchetti SF.260W Warrior Italy 11 222-231, 235 1977-2003 Replaced Chipmunks and Provosts. Armed basic trainer. #235 was an attrition replacement. Three SF.260D were leased for pilot training in 1991-2. #231 is on display at Shannon Aviation Museum. SIAI-Marchetti SF.260MC Italy 1 233 1977-2003 Former Zairian aircraft used as an instructional airframe. Supermarine Spitfire Tr.9 United Kingdom 6 158-163 1951-61 Replaced the Miles Master IIs. As of 2025, #158, #162, and #163 were still flying as warbirds. #159 was formerly a warbird.
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