Shannon WARport - Increase in US Military traffic through SNN

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday May 15, 2002 03:25 by Tim Hourigan - Green Party, Gluaiseacht, L4C

5 military flights in one morning!

In case anyone thought it had stopped, here's more news for you. It's increasing. The civilian airports of Ireland are becoming US Air Bases (in contravention of Article 28 of the Irish Constitution - not that Bertie gives a hoot about our constitution). The latest change is an INCREASE in Military traffic. Photos should follow soon.

On the night of Sunday May 12th, I went out to Shannon with two other people as part of my regular monitoring of military use of Shannon airport.

Those of you who have been keeping up with this know of the recent sightings of US Marine Corps KC-130 Hercules aircraft at Shannon.
There have also been pit-stops by marked US Naval jets from the 48th Fleet Logistics Squadron
you probably also remember that the US Air Mobility Command is using chartered civilian jets to transport US military personnel and cargo.
Most noticable are the white aircraft of WORLD AIRWAYS and the Lockheed Tristars operated by American Trans Air.

Well, usually I see between 1 and 3 aircraft any night I go out. Some military aicraft, others chartered aircraft carrying uniformed soldiers and/or military cargo.
Last Sunday night / Monday morning, we saw evidence that the US traffic through Shannon is on the increase, possibly as the build up for an offensive against Iraq.

We got to the airport at 22:55
First off, I spotted a large white three engined aircraft with a checkered logo. It was at the most westerly gate of the terminal, in the usual spot used for these flights.
Knowing this was a WORLD AIRWAYS aircraft, we decided to get a closer look.
In full view of Airport Police inside the terminal, we went into the viewing gallery of the airport to get a better view.
The aircraft a Boeing MD-11ER with the registration number N277WA.

While we were watching this aircraft, another one started to pull away from the terminal.
This was a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar operated by American Trans Air. It was mostly white, but had brown and yellow lines running the lenght of the plane, just above and below the window level.
It taxied out and took off a few minutes after midnight.

We stayed up for a few hours waiting for the WORLD AIRWAYS jet to leave, but nothing happened.
We took turns at sleeping on the chairs in the viewing gallery.

When I woke up, the WORLD jet was still there, but in the meantime, another American Trans Air jet had landed.
This jet was also a L-1011, but had a more modern and colorful paint job. it had a blue tail, with a palm tree painted on it.
The reg was N194AT.

We saw uniformed military personnel disembark and head towards the duty free area.
About an hour later, we saw them returning to their refuelled aircraft.
We counted 77 bright yellow Aer Rianta duty free bags.

The WORLD AIRWAYS jet had taxied out in the meantime, it took off into the wind, heading west, out to see, but after take off made a left turn to fly east.

About 90 minutes later, the American Trans Air jet taxied out, but came to a halt just short of the runway to allow ANOTHER plane to land.

Initially we thought the WORLD Airways jet had come back, but when it approached the terminal we could see it was a different jet. Instead of N277WA a MD-11ER (Extended Range) we now had a FOURTH jet of the day, N271WA, a run of the mill MD-11. which then pulled up to the terminal.

The runway now clear, the American Trans Air jet took off heading east.

Over 10 hours had passed since we arrived, and at NO stage was there NO military charter aircraft at the airport.

We couldn't believe it.

We had written down what details we could, and had taken stills photographs (not a digital camera though).

A demo was planned for later that day at 12:30.

at around 11am we started getting visits from Airport police.

First, two airport policemen came up. started asking us who we were and what we were doing.

We gave our names and adresses freely and told them that we were plane-spotting.
I also told them that , yes, we would be taking part in a peaceful demo later that day, which would be outside the terminal, and that we were only inside to get a better view of the terminal.

They took some of the print outs we had about military refueling and headed down stairs.

Not too long after that, a more senior officer came up to ask us who we were and what we were doing.

He got the same answers, as we had been telling the truth the first time.

He didn't give us his name, and wasn't particularly polite either.

When asked if there was much traffic of this nature he said "not really".

I told him that I had seen lots of it, and that there wasn't a night I had come out that there wasn't a military charter or military aircraft.
He said I was mistaken.
I assured him I was not.
So much for openness.

He left, and shortly afterwards a man from Airport Operations came up, (pretending to be cleaning) and took some of our literature to put it in the bin. We informed him it was NOT rubbish and we wanted it back. begrudgingly, he returned it.

We were about to pack up and head to the gate to join the demo, when we saw another jet landing.
This time it was a smaller jet. A C-20G.
this is a Gulfstream IV business jet, modified for military use.
This aircraft was much more obvious. Apart from military insignia on the engines, it said UNITED STATES NAVY on the side!

Initially I thought this was the same jet I had seen last December parked near Westair, but it was not.

At Westair I had seen a C-20G marked JR 5093
This was JR 5094. Same type jet, from the same squadron, the 48th Fleet Logistics Squadron of the US Navy.

So, this was the FIFTH sighting of military use of Shannon in one short trip.

This jet did not pull up to the terminal, but instead went to the centre taxiway, where a van from FBO was waiting for it. FBO are involved in 'servicing' some of the military airacraft, including the KC-130 Hercules.

We took some more pictures and then went to meet the other demonstrators at the gateway.
Due to rain, it being Monday and things like the arrest of peace activist Mary Kelly in Bethlehem, our numbers were rather modest. Some had travelled from Cork, others from Galway and Westmeath.

We made our way to the terminal, trailed closely by police. Many airport staff and tourists beeped in support of our banners "no military flights at Shannon".
There was probably 2 police there for every demonstrator. (They may have been expecting more of us, or just assuming we were out to cause trouble.)

When we got to the terminal we stopped outside and held banners and placards and informed the exiting tourists that our precious civilian airport was becoming an Air Force Base.
I showed some people pictures of the US Marines aircraft spotted last month, and explaing that there were TWO jets still at the airport as we spoke.

Most people were very surprised to learn this.
Despite talk to the contrary, most people are concerned about the implications of this, ONCE they find out how much of it is going on.

I asked for permission for two of us to go back up to the viewing gallery. (me, and a journalist from Indymedia, armed only with notebooks, binoculars and a video camera).
We were told the viewing gallery was closed. After speaking to three ranks of Garda, we were given permission to be escorted up.
during the negotiation, the MD-11 of World Airways departed. This was the FOURTH take-off by a military flight that morning!

We were delayed a while longer outside the viewing gallery as it had been barriceded with wooden planks by either Airport Police or Aer Rianta staff. (paranoid!) Initially the police did not want to allow us to film the barricade but we insisted.

It took quite a while for someone to arrive to clear this, and we were worried this was a deliberate delaying tactic to allow the C-20G Naval jet to leave.

Fortunately the jet was still there when we got in. We noted the markings, writing and plane numbers.

We then left, satisfied we had documented all that was to be seen.

I never got a chance to speak to FBO. I only got their answering machine when I rang.

We left the terminal, and were thanked by the police for our co-operation and liaison.

I informed the police that I would be back soon for more surveillance, but had no immediate plans for the next demo, but would be in touch.

Quite frankly we were gobsmacked, that after all this time, the US military is not only still using the airport on a nightly basis, but is increasing the number of flights through Shannon.

I think there were more military flights than Aer Lingus flights in the same time frame!

If you would like to help us to monitor US flights at Shannon, e-mail

[email protected]

if you would like to protest otherwise,
please send a letter to

FBO Shannon
Main Terminal
Shannon Airport,
Co Clare

(They refuel military aircraft)

Aer Rianta Operations
Main Terminal
Shannon Airport,
Co Clare

Berte Ahern / Brian Cowen
Government buildings,
Merrion St
Dublin 2.