dublinstreams: Russian Military Flights in Irish Controlled airspace: Safety & Politics

Update
Unauthorised foreign military aircraft in 'Irish Controlled Airspace' since 2011 from the IAA in response to this Dail PQ... US, Russian, French, UK Canadian and unknown.

News coverage of each incident
Letter to Patrick O'Donovan 15.07.15 from the IAA
The Dept was also asked about Foreign Naval incursions, none occured.

Russian aircraft entered Irish controlled airspace - IAA Irish Times Feb 19, 2015

Re the Russia military flights off the west coast in international but busy Irish controlled airspace.

According to the ICAO via Bloomberg the ICAO convention doesn't apply to military aircraft equipmentRussia's dark warplanes are spooking Europe

This month, representatives from Europe, the U.S. and NATO sat down with Russian officials to raise the West's concerns. A second meeting is scheduled in Paris to discuss the use of transponders and filing=20 requirements for military flights.

EU considers beefing up cockpit rules after Germanwings plane crash WSJ March 27, 2015

So they had a meeting beginning of March and another 14 to 15 April 2015 and a Second High-Level Safety Conference (HLSC 2015) which was held in Montreal, Canada from 2 to 5 February 2015 which came up with a working paper (WP82)

WP82 Rules of the Air of the Chicago Convention constitutes rules relating to the flight and manoeuvring of an aircraft within the meaning of Article 12 of the Chicago Convention. It applies without exception to high seas airspace. At the same time the Chicago Convention does explicitly exempt State aircraft from its remit. However, Article 3 d) obliges the Conracting States to ensure that State Aircraft...will have due regard for the safety of navigation of civil aircraft

ICAO Working Papers a number of papers on tracking aircraft

EUROCONTROL Expert-Workshop on enhancing the Safety for civil and military Flights over the High Seas05 Mar 2015

More than 70 civil and military technical experts from 24 States[2], NATO, EU, IATA and EUROCONTROL have been working together under the “Chatham House Rules” to stay outside of any political dimension to develop a clear view on the legal framework, resulting obligations and the different needs of relevant civil and military actors.

So they can't say what they be talking about.

This is the key meeting...
THE FIFTY-SIXTH MEETING OF THE EUROPEAN AIR NAVIGATION PLANNING GROUP

EANPG Conclusion 56/03 Safety concerns regarding operations involving civil and military aircraft over the High Seas That, noting the growing safety concern regarding events involving civil an d military aircraft over the High Seas, the ICAO Regional Director, Europe and North Atlantic, on be half of the EANPG, encourage States and International Organizations concerned to take action, in accordance with EANPG Conclusion 51/03, to review and enhance at national and international level their civil/military arrangements and coordination procedures involving all State authorities conceeded, with a view to reducing the risk of serious incidents or accident.

EANPG 56 Report

this is less followable,

EANPG Conclusion 51/3 Amendment to ICAO Doc 7754
That the ICAO Regional Director, Europe and North Atlantic, process, on behalf of the EANPG,
the draft proposal for amendment to the ICAO Basic Air Navigation Plan (EUR ANP ICAO
Doc 7754 Vol I) and to the Facilities and Services Implementation Document (EUR FASID ICAO Doc 7754 Vol II), regarding Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA) over the high seas, as presented at Appendix B-1 and Appendix B-2 to this report page 54-58.

Lots of extra words about FUA* and acknowledging that while rules don't apply to state aircraft they should try to comply with them and more about co-operation between friendly states.

*Flexible Use of Airspace As a basic FUA principle, airspace should no longer be designated as military or civil airspace but should be considered as one continuum and used flexibly on a day-to-day basis.

A list of delegates including the Irish who were at that meeting.

High Level Safety Conference 2015 Delegates

FEARON John CD Director General of Civil Aviation
HUMPHREYS Kevin D Director Safety Regulation
PATRICK Sean D General Manager Enroute and NAC, Irish Aviation
TONE Frank D Chief Aviation Safety Analyst

Irish representative to the ICAO in Montreal
Who is the Irish representative to the ICAO in Montreal? this doc says its vacant, but Im told by the DTTAS it is Declan Fitzpatrick Air Navigation Commissioner in Montreal at The International Civil Aviation Organization (who is listed in the document as an alternative representative for Portugal)
He represents the ABIS group at the Air Navigation Commission

The ABIS group

The ABIS rotation group was founded in 1980 and today represents seven European States: Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland, Portugal and Switzerland.
Common characteristics of these States are that their airspace is of the most heavily used in Europe; their main airports all cater to intercontinental air services and are the home base of major international airlines. This has led to the existence of a widespread expertise in aviation, but also a need to be proactive in international cooperation.

Speech at European Parliament Transport Committee on Conflict Zones Frank Brenner Director General Eurocontrol on 04 May 2015

Speech on Conflict Zones and Enhancing Safety for Civil and Military Flights over the High Seas at the 144th Meeting of Directors General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Frank Brenner Director General Eurocontrol 06 May 2015.

What is Ireland' participation in these international civil-military aviation safety discussions at ICAO and Eurocontrol level?

How serious government is at addressing the safety issue versus politicians giving out about the Russians do they actually expect all airforces to use transponders all the time?

Does anyone actually expect all militaries to use transponders in international airspace? or in busy airspaces in international airspace?

Will this continue to be an unsolved issue that use politically? Or are they actually trying to solve the safety issue?

IAA criticised for lack of disclosure Irish Examiner Sean O’Riordan December 04, 2015 [may need to to ask Eurocontrol?]

Circular 330
Circular 330-AN/189 Civil/Military Cooperation in Air Traffic Management

Links
Cir 330AN/189 Civil/Military Cooperation in Air Traffic Management ICAO

Baltics
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regarding incidents between civil and military aircraft in the Baltic region. Report on occurrences over the high-seas involving military aircraft in 2014.

The Agency recognises that significant work has been carried out by ICAO with regard to the definition and promotion of best practices on civil/military cooperation in ATM and which resulted in the publication of ICAO Circular 330

The Agency recommends that the European Union promotes at the ICAO EURO NAT level, the principle of prior notification by all States when conducting flights in controlled airspace within the FIRs for which European Member States have the responsibility to provide ATS.