THE NUMBER OF US troops going through Shannon airport has plunged this year despite the build-up of US forces in the Middle East earlier this year due to the war with Iran.

New figures provided by Shannon Airport show that the number of US troops using the airport was 15,326 from 1 January to the end of June – a drop of 42% on the 26,340 US troops that went through Shannon airport for the corresponding period last year.

The 15,326 US troops is a very small fraction of the overall 1.17 million passengers that have used Shannon airport in the first six months, with the 12% increase in passenger numbers driven by an expanded route network, increased capacity and sustained demand for commercial air travel.

Figures provided by Shannon Airport show that 4,949 US troops transited the airport in June, 1,069 in May, 1,291 in April, 3,544 in March, 2,461 in February and 2,012 in January.

The total number of US troops that transited through Shannon airport in 2025 was 44,242, which was a 6% decrease on the 47,009 that transited through Shannon in 2024.

If the current transit of US troops going through Shannon is maintained for the remainder of the year, Shannon airport is on course this year to record the lowest annual number of US troops to transit through the airport this century.

Between 2001 and 2012, around two million US troops passed through Shannon as part of the US war effort in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Last month, Shannon Airport moved to install high-security ‘anti-ram’ barriers at the airport, aimed at combating further unauthorised airfield incursions.

The move by Shannon Airport Authority DAC followed five separate alleged airport incursions by Pro-Palestinian activists on five separate dates at the County Clare airport from March 2024 to April of this year.

Charges have been brought in all cases but no trial has yet proceeded at Ennis Circuit Court in relation to any of the charges.

Peace Activist and former UN peacekeeper, Dr Edward Horgan has campaigned against the use of Shannon by the US military for a long number of years.

He said today that it is not the numbers of US troops that are going through Shannon and Irish airspace that is important, “it is the fact that they are still going through whenever suits the US”.

He said: “Their numbers fluctuate regularly depending on units rotating and increases in military actions.”

Horgan said that “Ireland urgently needs to follow the example of the Government of Spain which has denied permission to the US to use its airports and airspace for the wars in Iran and Palestine”.

The new Shannon Airport Authority DAC tender for the supply, delivery and installation support of the anti-ram barriers follows an incident involving three Pro-Palestinian activists on 22 November 2025.