The State will acquire a proposed €500 million military radar system through a government-to-government deal with France, it has been announced.
The deal will see the Irish Government effectively outsourcing the procurement of the system to officials in Paris. This means the system will in all likelihood come from French-owned companies.
The French state owns large portions of several defence companies, including Thales and Dassault.
Ireland already purchases a significant proportion of its defence equipment from France. Since the beginning of 2024, the State has spent €69 million on military imports from the country.
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This includes a new “strategic reach” aircraft manufactured by Dassault which arrived in Casement Aerodrome on Tuesday.
The Falcon 6X, which was purchased for €53 million plus VAT, replaces the Air Corps’s 21-year-old Learjet 45, commonly known as the Government Jet.
The new aircraft will serve a number of roles including evacuation of Irish citizens from emergency situations and the transport of supplies to overseas military missions.
Radar
The military radar programme comprises three parts. There will be a long range, land-based radar, a ship-borne maritime radar and ground-based air defence systems, which will include counter-drone technology.
These systems will combine to provide a “recognised air picture”, enabling the military to see all aircraft over the State, including those with their transponders switched off.
The Government said the project will be completed by the end of 2028, with some counter-drone capabilities being acquired before Ireland takes up the EU presidency in July 2026.
Funding for the project will come from the €1.7 billion National Development Plan for the Defence Forces which was published last week.
The selection of France as a partner in the acquisition process is only the first step in a long and complex procurement process. The completion of the preliminary business case will be followed by a “final business case” and a tendering process.
Minister for Defence Helen McEntee said the procurement team concluded that a government-to-government deal “is the only feasible way for Ireland to develop the required radar capabilities”.
“This approach guarantees the use of the experience and knowledge of a trusted partner country which cannot be provided through any other option, particularly as we need to procure a complete capability to develop a complete recognised air picture.”
Procurement will be carried out by the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA), an arm of the French ministry of armed forces. The purpose of the DGA is to equip the French military and to promote the export of French arms.
“The preliminary business case concluded that the French proposal substantially fulfils Ireland’s capability requirements under this programme and provides a high level of confidence in their overall ability to deliver across all aspects,” Ms McEntee said.
Ms McEntee said a separate, fast-tracked contract to provide counter-drone capabilities to the Defence Forces is expected to be signed before the end of the year.
