Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence (Turkish MoD) confirmed that the aircraft had been handed over to a British firm for maintenance and modernization ahead of delivery. “Within the scope of the contract signed for the procurement of 12 C-130J aircraft from the United Kingdom to meet the operational needs of our Air Force Command, the aircraft have been delivered to the relevant company for maintenance and modernization,” the Ministry spokesperson Admiral Aktürk said. “Following these works in the UK, they will be gradually incorporated into our Air Force inventory. Maintenance and sustainment will subsequently be performed domestically after Type Training (TİP).”
The Royal Air Force initially procured ten C-130J and fifteen C-130J-30 aircraft in the mid-1990s, with the first extended-fuselage variant entering service in 1999. Following the induction of the A400M Atlas, the UK decided to phase out its Hercules fleet, and the Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA) was tasked with managing their sale.
To increase resale value and airworthiness, DESA initiated pre-sale maintenance that includes the replacement of key structural components such as the Centre Wing Box (CWB).
With the retirement of its C-160 Transalls, the Turkish Air Force has relied heavily on its A400M, CN-235, and C-130 aircraft. The arrival of the extended-fuselage C-130J-30s is expected to enhance payload flexibility and reduce the operational burden on A400Ms for medium-lift missions.
Author: Özgür Ekşi
