Tasked with providing air transport services to the state, 102 Squadron operates within No 1 Operations Wing of the Irish Air Corps (IAC).
“Within this remit, one of our core functions is the provision of the ministerial air transport service (MATS) for members of the Irish Government,” Smyth explains. “MATS first came into operation in July 1979 following a decision by the then sitting government that the Air Corps was to be provided with a turbine-powered aircraft, to be used as necessary to transport the president, minister and officials in connection with travel for official duties. At this time, the role was carried out by Training and Transport Squadron which has evolved into the current day 102 Squadron.”
The squadron currently operates a sole Learjet 45 which has been in service since January 2004 when it was introduced as a replacement for the Beech King Air 200 and as support for the Gulfstream IV airframe which has now been retired.
“The Learjet has capacity to carry seven passengers and is tasked with short and medium haul missions to the UK and Europe,” he details. “The [twinjet] was operated in conjunction with the GIV until the latter’s retirement in 2014 and it is now the primary aircraft available for MATS mis…
