Ireland marked the end of Sikorsky S-92 operations in Coast Guard search and rescue service at midnight on 31 January 2026 after more than two decades with CHC Ireland. The transition to Bristow Ireland and its Leonardo AW189 fleet completes a phased handover delayed by training and certification issues. CHC maintained coverage until Bristow received full Irish Aviation Authority approval.
The S-92 fleet based at Shannon Sligo Waterford and Dublin-Weston completed thousands of missions with advanced avionics auto-hover capability and long-range performance. The handover occurs under an €800m 10-year contract expanding to include fixed-wing SAR with two King Air B200 aircraft. Bristow now operates six AW189 helicopters nationwide.
CHC Ireland shared that the final S-92 mission as poignant and marking the end of a proud legacy in the region.
