The Turkish Air Force will proceed with the acquisition of five C-130JC4 aircraft from the UK in the short term to meet its increasing military transport aircraft needs. The final details were discussed during Air Force Commander General Cemal Ziya Kadıoğlu’s visit to the UK.
Recently, General Kadıoğlu visited the UK as a guest of Royal Air Force Commander Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton. Alongside ongoing discussions between Turkey and the UK regarding Eurofighter and the long-range air-to-air missile METEOR, the acquisition of second-hand C-130JC4 aircraft was also on the table.
Negotiations regarding the Eurofighter deal are expected to be finalized and signed soon. Turkey plans to acquire 40 Eurofighter jets to address its interim fighter jet needs.
The UK Grounded These Aircrafts in 2022
The Royal Air Force (RAF) retired its fleet of C-130J military transport aircraft in 2022 due to an increasing number of Airbus A400Ms in service and the continued operation of C-17 Globemasters.
A total of 15 aircraft were moved to Cambridge, and the RAF approved their sale. Of these, 12 were offered to various countries for second-hand purchase.
Turkey’s Interest in the Aircraft
Turkey is among the countries showing interest in these aircraft. The Turkish Air Force began exploring alternatives as the retirement of C-160s (with only one still in active service), the modernization of its existing fleet of 13 C-130E and 6 C-130B aircraft, and their low operational efficiency placed the entire transport burden on its fleet of 10 Airbus A400Ms. Additional A400M purchases from Airbus were also considered as part of the plans.
The UK’s available C-130 aircraft include the C4 and C5 models. Turkey is expected to opt for the C-130J-30 model, known as the C4, which features an extended fuselage. The C4’s fuselage is 5.33 meters longer than the standard model, and its maximum takeoff weight is 4,990 kilograms heavier.
Source: tolgaozbek.com
