Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2026
344. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Defence for an update on the delivery of the new integrated monitoring and surveillance system, including radar upgrades across maritime, land and air domains; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12807/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraOne of my key priorities as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capacity of the Defence Forces is maintained and developed in line with the Government’s decision to move to Level of Ambition 2 (LOA2), as defined by the Commission on the Defence Forces (CODF).
Amongst its recommendations on capability development, the CODF recommended the development of a primary radar capability to ensure that Ireland can maintain a complete ‘Recognised Air Picture’, and that this should be an immediate and top priority.
There are three elements to the Military Radar Programme: Land based Long Range Primary Radar; Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) systems, to include a Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) capability; and Maritime (ship-borne) Radar.
This programme of work is ongoing and very good progress has been made.
When fully delivered, the Recognised Air Picture will incorporate this suite of military radar systems; which will have the capability to detect all aircraft traversing our airspace.
My Department initially engaged with a large number of countries, including all EU Member States, to ascertain their interest in supporting Ireland to deliver this capability. Based on the responses received, bi-lateral discussions took place with a smaller number of countries last year, with a view to assessing options for delivery.
That phase of the process concluded towards the end of last year when the Preliminary Business Case for the Military Radar Programme was approved. This concluded that a Government-level approach with one country was the preferred option and, in line with this approach, my Department has commenced detailed negotiations with France on a potential agreement for the delivery of all capability requirements under the Programme.
Full delivery of the Programme will be complex; but has been prioritised with a target date of 2028 identified in the updated CODF Detailed Implementation Plan which I published last week. That being said, elements of this capability will be rolled out in phases, starting this year with a particular focus on Counter-UAS capabilities, with a view to full delivery being achieved by the end of 2028.
To supplement the Recognised Air Picture that will emerge from the Military Radar Programme, my Department is also making progress in enhancing the Recognised Maritime Picture. My Department announced in June 2025 that a contract had been awarded for sonar capability which will be used by the Naval Service to monitor subsea activities. This is another strand of work being progressed to identify any potential threats in our maritime domain. This is a complex project and a new capability, so work in training personnel and establishing the procedures and structures required within the Defence Forces has commenced, and will continue in the period up to the delivery and operationalisation of the system, with initial deliveries planned for 2027, in line with the commitment contained in the new Strategic Framework for the Transformation of the Defence Forces which I also published last week.
With these projects, the Defence Forces will have enhanced state of the art systems for conducting monitoring and surveillance activities in the air, on the surface and below the sea-surface.
