THE DEFENCE Forces paid €2.5 million to lease two helicopters in Chad that have effectively been grounded since it emerged they were not licensed to carry troops.
The cost of leasing the two Russian helicopters and Ukrainian crew is contained in a report on the embarrassing mix-up which will be handed to Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea.
An investigation into the matter was launched in September by Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieut Gen Dermot Earley with Mr O'Dea requesting the full report.
The investigation examined how senior military personnel signed off on a 10-month contract valued at €2.5 million without realising the aircraft they were hiring could not be used for their primary purpose of carrying Irish troops around Chad.
The helicopters can still be used to ferry equipment and could be used to evacuate personnel in an emergency, a spokesman said.
The Mi-8T choppers were leased from Air Partner Commercial Jets, a UK company, and became operational in July. Dutch personnel serving alongside the Irish in Chad raised concerns that the helicopters were flying without proper certification.
In previous missions the same model of helicopter was used to carry Irish personnel but in those cases the helicopters were approved military aircraft. Because the helicopters leased by the Irish in Chad are civilian aircraft they would need to comply with civilian regulations, such as having toilets on board and front-facing seats, before they could be used to carry personnel.
Once the licensing concerns emerged the transportation of personnel on both helicopters was discontinued. The helicopters have not been replaced.
The leasing arrangement was entered into after EU states participating in the EUfor peace enforcement mission in Chad did not commit enough helicopters.
In order to carry out their full range of operations the Irish needed helicopters of their own to carry personnel. A number of airborne operations involving the deployment of Irish troops into remote parts of Chad have had to be abandoned. The need for the leased helicopters has been particularly acute over the past two months, during which time they were grounded. The rainy season has made Chad's network of dirt roads impassable, greatly limiting the scope for long-range patrols.
The mix-up is also being examined by the Department of Defence's internal audit unit. A report on the unit's findings will be sent to the Comptroller and Auditor General John Buckley.
None of the Air Corps helicopters have been brought to Chad because they are needed at home. Nor are they suitable for transporting large numbers of troops. There are a total of 3,700 troops serving with EUfor. About 470 of these are Irish, with the main contingent based in Goz Beida in eastern Chad.
EUfor is mandated by the UN to protect refugees and internally displaced people and to create a secure environment for UN staff and humanitarian organisations.
The 12-month mission is due to end in March and will most likely be replaced by a UN mission.
