Ireland has signed an acquisition order for five deployable long-range military radar systems from Thales as part of its Military Radar Programme, with deliveries due to start in 2027 and full capability expected by the end of 2028. The contract, placed through France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement, identifies the system as the Ground Master 400 Alpha and is intended to give the country a complete recognised air picture of its airspace.
Defence Minister Helen McEntee said the purchase will significantly improve Ireland’s ability to protect its skies. The radars fill a longstanding surveillance gap because primary radar can track aircraft even when transponders are switched off, giving the Defence Forces an independent air-surveillance capability.
Thales describes the GM400 Alpha as a 3D air-surveillance radar with a range of up to 515 km and a six-second update rate, housed in a single 20-foot container for rapid redeployment. The deployable format is designed to support flexible operations rather than fixed-only use.
The radar order forms one element of the wider Military Radar Programme, which also includes air-defence and maritime-surveillance capabilities. Irish authorities have framed the long-range radar project as a central step towards building a sovereign monitoring system for national airspace.