It has been reported by Scramble that Turkiye has accepted to purchase 12 used C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft from Royal Air Force of United Kingdom.
As reported by Scramble, Turkiye is on the verge of enhancing its tactical airlift capabilities by acquiring 12 ex-Royal Air Force (RAF) C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft. The aircraft is currently based in Cambridge and was taken out of service in June 2022 and formally retired in June 2023.
The deal reportedly includes 12 out of 15 retired aircraft, which consist of two variants: The Hercules C4, which is the stretched version of C-130J-30 and the Hercules C5 which is the standard C-130J. Since the Hercules C4 is more versatile aircraft which has longer fuselage and can carry more load, it is believed that Turkiye has target this variant. This acquisition is in line with Turkiye’s strategy to dispose off C-130B and C-130E models that are being phased out of service. The Turkish Air Force (TurAF) operates these older models as vintage planes in the 222nd Squadron.
The newer C-130J-30 aircraft, due to similarities with the existing fleet, will not only enhance transport capacity but also streamline maintenance and operations. The 222 Squadron’s current Hercules fleet has undergone significant upgrades under the Erciyes modernisation program. TUSAŞ’s modernisation aims to improve avionics, including fly-by-wire, and extend operational life.
However, the new acquisitions raise questions about the upgraded fleet’s future role. The RAF’s decision to retire its Super Hercules fleet was first outlined in the 2021 Defence Command Paper, focusing on streamlining transport aircraft operations. With the Super Hercules phased out, the RAF now operates only two types of heavy transport aircraft: eight Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs and 22 Airbus A400M Atlases. Turkiye has A400M and CN-235 in its fleet. The Transall C-160 are about to be retired.
