- The Government has insisted the new €53m Falcon 6X jet has full operational capability in bad weather
- The aircraft was purchased without the FalconEye system due to the 2024 policy on Israeli defence contracts
- Minister Jack Chambers confirmed the Department of Defence had stated there were no limitations on the aircraft
- The Falcon 6X was completed at a Dassault Aviation facility in the US last year
- The jet will primarily transport the Taoiseach and senior ministers and is operated by the Air Corps
The Coalition has insisted there are no issues with a new Government jet after reports it may struggle to land in bad weather. It has been suggested the new aircraft may not be able to land in foggy weather as it was ordered without key navigation equipment from an Israeli firm.
The Government adopted a policy in 2024 of not awarding Israeli companies defence contracts owing to an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice against Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The Journal.ie reported how the €53m aircraft was purchased from a French firm without a FalconEye system, which normally sits on the plane’s nose and helps it land in fog or other weather conditions that limit visibility, as it was made by an Israeli manufacturer.
Speaking at the launch of a new National Procurement Policy in Government Buildings, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Jack Chambers confirmed he had sought clarity on the matter from the Department of Defence. He indicated the Government view was that there were no issues with the aircraft. “The Department of Defence have informed me that there are no limitations on the aircraft’s operational capability and it can conduct its full range of missions. That’s what they’ve stated in the context of the aircraft that has been procured. Full operational capability is their clear position on that,” he said. The initial report of the aircraft’s capability has attracted some international headlines, including in Britain and Israel.
The Falcon 6X aircraft was completed at a Dassault Aviation facility in the US last year. The inside of the new jet has been fitted out with cream coloured executive-style seating, polished wood panelling, cabin tables and sofa-style seating. It is primarily used to transport the Taoiseach and other senior ministers and is operated by the Air Corp. It has a high-end cabin including a galley area, individual passenger seats, fold-out tables, a divan-style sofa and private washroom facilities.
Jack Chambers shared “the Department of Defence have informed me that there are no limitations on the aircraft’s operational capability and it can conduct its full range of missions. Full operational capability is their clear position on that”
