Shannon Airport and its surrounding skies were a hive of activity in the late hours of last night and early hours of this morning following President Donald Trump’s return home from his trip to the Irish Open.
Some of the US Air Force’s largest planes paid visits to the airport in support of operations to remove presidential and Secret Service vehicles and equipment.
US Air Force transport planes pre-positioned the presidential vehicles and helicopters in Ireland in the days before President Trump arrived.
Following the end of a presidential visit, a massive clearance operation begins to transport the presidential and Secret Service vehicles and equipment from the visited country, armoured presidential limousines and SUVs among them. US Air Force heavy transports are routinely used to transfer the president’s motorcade.
According to data from flight tracker Flight Radar 24 and visual activity observed on the flight path into Shannon Airport, at least five extremely large US Boeing C-17 heavy transport aircraft were confirmed arriving at the airport, with several more likely making appearances at the airport in addition.
Activity began around 11a.m. A number of the transports remained at the airport for a few hours, before activity tapered off around 3a.m.
The second largest transport aircraft in the US Air Force inventory, apart from the Lockheed-Martin C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft, the C-17 is an extremely large transport plane which boasts four heavy engines whose distinctive roar are immediately noticeable overhead compared to a normal civilian airliner and can carry several presidential limousines or one of the Marine One helicopters.
A number of US military fuel trucks were also transported to Shannon by air in the weeks leading up to the visit.
According to flight data, several of the aircraft travelled from Ramstein and Spangdahlem Air Bases while the CH-47 Chinooks which arrive Ansbach Army Helicopter Base in Germany via Liverpool and Casement Aerodrome at Baldonnel in Dublin.
A number of C-17s flew from the US including from Andrews and Travis Air Force Bases as well Marine Corps Air Station at Cherry Point and Marine Corps Air Facility in Quantico.
Other flights travelled to Shannon from RAF Mildenhall in England and from Prestwick, Scotland perhaps underscoring the strategic value of America’s access to bases in Europe, despite recent question marks over the Trump administration’s commitment to remaining in NATO.
By Frank Fitzgerald
