THE NEW GARDA surveillance plane has arrived in Ireland and has been making her first flights with a route near the border this morning, The Journal has learned.

The new de Havilland Canada-6 Twin Otter Guardian 400 aircraft arrived from Switzerland on Saturday to its base at the Irish Air Corps’ Baldonnel base in south west Dublin.

It is understood that the aircraft was flying this morning and was on a route over Dundalk and north of Cavan along the Irish border. It is not known if it was on a mission or a training flight. 

The Otter is to be piloted by the Air Corps and it has gardaí acting as spotters on board who are members of the secretive Garda Air Support Unit (GASU). It will join the garda helicopter which is also flown by the Air Corps.    

The plane has replaced the Britton Norman Defender which has reached the end of its service life.

It is understood the cost of the project was in the region of €7 million, which will include the aircraft and the surveillance technology.

Sources have said that the Otter was chosen because it has a high wing and that the Irish Air Corps PC12, which are kitted out with surveillance equipment, were deemed not suitable by garda assessors.

It is understood that the plane had been outfitted in Austria with cameras and other surveillance equipment. 

Sources have said that the technology onboard the aircraft includes high-end policing equipment such as phone tracking technology, cameras and other surveillance technology including the capability to monitor shipping traffic.

A tendering competition is underway for a civilian contractor to carry out maintenance of the aircraft at Casement Aerodrome and at other unspecified locations.

Garda tender documents state that the primary mission of GASU is to provide a patrol and response capability. The method of working is known as “visual contact flights”.

The aircraft will be required to work by day and by night and will be used to “identify a target, establish and maintain visual contact with the target”. 

A garda spokeswoman said: “An Garda Síochána has today taken formal possession of the new fixed wing aircraft, which will be operational in the first half of 2026.”