Just before 10:30 this morning, Saturday 13th December, the new Garda Air Support Unit fixed-wing aircraft touched down on runway 22 at Baldonnel following its delivery flight from Wiener Neustadt in Austria. It had been there since June this year, where it has been fitted out with surveillance equipment by Airborne Technologies GmbH. Currently registered as HB-LAQ (msn 995)with Zimex Aviation, it will take up the Irish Air Corps serial number 288. The Viking 400 is a development of the well-established DHC-6 Twin Otter.
In January 2023, the then Minister for Justice, Simon Harris, announced an additional capital allocation of €21.5 million to support significant investment in a replacement helicopter and fixed-wing plane for An Garda Síochána, funded through the Brexit Adjustment Reserve. The Viking 400 is estimated to have cost approximately €7 million for the aircraft itself and its full mission suite installation. In addition, there is a 10-year maintenance contract valued at around €4 million, bringing the total long-term investment close to €11 million.
The original de Havilland Canada DHC‑6 Twin Otter (Series 100–300) first flew in 1965 and quickly became renowned for its rock‑solid reliability, rugged STOL performance, analogue instrumentation, and proven Pratt & Whitney PT6A‑20/‑27 turboprops. By contrast, Viking’s Series 400 Twin Otter, relaunched in 2010 after Viking Air acquired the type certificate, retains that legendary durability and ability to operate from unpaved or remote runways, yet introduces more than 800 enhancements. These include more powerful 750 shp PT6A‑34 engines, a modern composite-influenced airframe, full Honeywell Primus Apex glass‑cockpit with 3‑axis autopilot, LED lighting, optional air‑conditioning, full de‑icing systems, and avionics upgrades supporting WAAS LPV, ADS‑B Out, synthetic vision, FDR and TCAS II capabilities. The Series 400 also offers expanded fuel capacity for up to nine‑hour endurance, all while maintaining the same flexible wheel, ski or float configurations, making it a true evolution of the Twin Otter legend rather than a replacement.
The Viking 400 will replace the Britten-Norman Defender 4000, which entered service with the Irish Air Corps in September 1997 to support the newly established Garda Air Support Unit (GASU). Operated by Air Corps personnel but under the Department of Justice’s control, the aircraft was based at Baldonnel and carried Garda markings. Its primary roles included crime prevention, search and rescue, traffic monitoring, and public order surveillance. The Defender typically flew with one pilot and two Garda observers. Powered by twin Allison/Rolls-Royce turboprops, the Defender 4000 offered a cruise speed of about 154 knots and a service ceiling of 10,000 feet, making it well-suited for extended patrols. It served alongside GASU’s helicopter fleet until November 2023, when it went into storage at Lee-on-Solent in the UK pending disposal.
Viking 400 Specifications (Specific Garda configuration may vary)
| Specification | Details |
| Crew / Seating | 2 pilots, 1 Observer Station and 2 Crew Seats |
| Dimensions | Span 19.81 m; Length 16.00 m; Height 5.94 m |
| Powerplant | 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A‑34 engines (750 shp each) |
| Weights | MTOW 6,350 kg; Empty ~3,621 kg; Useful load 2,728 kg |
| Fuel Capacity | Standard 1,447 kg (8.76hrs); With Optional Patrol Tank 2,019 kg (12.58hrs) |
| Performance | Cruise 162–174 kt; Max Range 970 nm; STOL Takeoff and Landing Distances 366m / 320m. |
