TR Air Forces|News & Discussion

[dBSPL]

Good news, 12 bargain C-130Js coming in.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1862849718147063838

 

[Fairon]

Good news, 12 bargain C-130Js coming in.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1862849718147063838

Is this certain this time?

Wonder if we put them through Erciyes modenization just to have more commonality.

 

[Sanchez]

Is this certain this time?

Wonder if we put them through Erciyes modenization just to have more commonality.

Good of them to put out a source actually. They quoted the Scramble piece from today. Pretty good source.

"Already rumoured back in July, Türkiye will buy twelve of the fifteen Royal Air Force Super Hercules transport aircraft that have been stored at Cambridge since their withdrawal from use, starting in June 2022."

Türkiye will buy twelve ex-RAF Super Hercules'

Türkiye will buy twelve ex-RAF Super Hercules' Already rumoured back in July, Türkiye will buy twelve of the fifteen Royal Air Force Super Hercules transport aircraft that have b

www.scramble.nl

 

[TheInsider]

We should immediately send them for Erciyes mod. Strike the iron while it is hot.

 

[Fuzuli NL]

BTW, these Hercs are in a great shape. Some of them had been hardly used. Practically new.

 

[Khagan1923]

UK is always phasing out their older CH-47 though I don't know in which state they are in and if they could be modernized to be put into service for another decade or so.

 

[Fuzuli NL]

UK is always phasing out their older CH-47 though I don't know in which state they are in and if they could be modernized to be put into service for another decade or so.

Those are relatively old and miles away from the F configuration.

 

[Oublious]

The reason why they cancelled the upgrade kits for the Viper is because the first kits would come after 2028. Wheb the new viper would delivered so they cancelled the upgrade kits.

 

[uçuyorum]

The reason why they cancelled the upgrade kits for the Viper is because the first kits would come after 2028. Wheb the new viper would delivered so they cancelled the upgrade kits.

If that is indeed the case, it makes sense. Özgür 2 may not be fully ready now but by 2028 it probably will enter serial production, so those kits wouldnt save time. I was expecting something like a year for delivery

 

[KhanOfEurasia]

Turkiye to Buy RAF’s Second-Hand C-130J Super Hercules | TURDEF

It has been reported by Scramble that Turkiye has accepted to purchase 12 used C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft from RAF.

turdef.com

 

[dBSPL]

C-130J-30 Specs:

Power Plant: Four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprops; 4,700 horsepower
Wingspan: 132 feet, 7 inches (39.7 meters)
Length: 97 feet, 9 inches (29.3 meters)
Cargo Compartment: length 16.9 meters; width 3.12 meters; height, 2.74 meters. Rear ramp: length, 3.12 meters; width,36.24 meters

Speed: 410 mph/356 ktas (Mach 0.58) at 22,000 feet (6,706 meters)
Ceiling: 26,000 feet (8,000 meters) with 44,500 pounds (20,227 kilograms) payload.

Maximum Takeoff Weight: 164,000 pounds (74,393 kilograms)
Maximum Allowable Payload: 44,000 (19,958 kilograms)
Maximum Normal Payload: 36,000 pounds (16,329 kilograms)

Max. Range with 40,000 pounds (18 tons) of Payload : 2,390 nautical miles ( 4,425 km) **
Maximum Load: 8 pallets or 97 litters or 24 CDS bundles or 128 combat troops or 92 paratroopers, or a combination of any of these up to the cargo compartment capacity or maximum allowable weight.

Crew: Three (two pilots and loadmaster)
Cost: $75.5 million USD (Fiscal Year-2017)

https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1555054/c-130-hercules/

 

[Sanchez]

"The Radar Electronic Support Measures (EDT/ESM)/Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) System, which was developed by ASELSAN with national capabilities to replace the EL/L-8382 Radar Electronic Support Measures (EDT/ESM)/Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) System, a product of ELTA Company, which is on the E-7T HIK Aircraft in the Turkish Air Force inventory and which has maintenance and sustainment problems, and whose first test flight was carried out on the E-7T HIK Aircraft in June 2024 after integration works, has been named ARES 2-A. The ARES 2A EDT/ELINT System will also be used on HAVA SOJ platforms. As far as I have heard, ARES 2-A is performing "very well" in the ongoing tests on the E-7T HIK Aircraft."

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"The Turkish Air Force, which is closely interested in the C-130J Super Hercules Transport Aircraft, which will be decommissioned by the British Royal Air Force in 2023 in order to support the C-130BM/EM Fleet, sent a delegation to the UK to inspect the aircraft and held preliminary discussions on cooperation within the scope of the project. In the first phase, it is planned to transfer 8 C-130J-30 (C4, with extended fuselage) and 2 C-130J (C5, with standard length fuselage) Super Hercules Transport Aircraft from RAF stocks to the Turkish Air Force after undergoing the necessary maintenance, repair and overhaul procedures (FASBAT), Later on, the number of aircraft was revised as 12 (2 of which will be used as spare parts), all of which will be C-130J-30s, but the number of aircraft was re-determined as 10 aircraft (all long-body C-130J-30 versions) based on the airframe/structural condition of the aircraft. The contract was expected to be signed by the end of this year"

Air force as usual can't reach consensus, but C-130J deal is progressing well.

"The CN235s in the inventory are very worn out and have spare parts and sustainment problems. Some of them will undergo avionic modernization, some of them will be decommissioned in the future, perhaps they will be sold, and if the budget is available, they will be replaced by an estimated 20-25 new production C295 or C-27J aircraft. Of course, this will be realized on a 10-year timetable. In the first phase, 10 C-130Js are expected to be delivered between 2025 and 2027..."

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[dBSPL]

I believe that the acquisition of C-130J-30 will also provide a logistic advantage that will put C27J ahead of C295 in tactical transport acquisition. I think the 20-25 range speculated by Sünnetçi for the post CN-235 period is also an important detail. This allows us to have a better idea about the fleet distribution of medium tactical airlifters in the future. Which I think will be in the range of 40-50 airlifters according to these news and reports, with newly coming Super Hercules. On the other hand, if 6-10 A400Ms from Spain, and MRTT kits can be agreed with Airbus, I think the road map in TAF's Transport and Tanker fleets will be completely revealed.

 

[Sanchez]

130J-30 will also provide a logistic advantage that will put C27J ahead of C295

Certainly possible. To give context, C27J and C-130J have slightly different versions of the same Alison engine. But, C295 also shares its PW100 with ATRs the navy use and it is a much more readily available commercial engine, although not very known in Turkey.

 

[Sanchez]

Agreements regarding to the procurement of Identification Friend or Foe, Navigation and Communication Systems to the air platforms for the needs of Turkish Armed Forces has been signed between ASELSAN and HAVELSAN-TUSAŞ business partnership total valuing USD 84.044.241.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1864196146635092164

This is pretty big. Wonder what is it for.

 

[Sanchez]

Özgür maybe?

Özgür I are already contracted with deliveries being made. Too early for Özgür II, no? 85 million must be a serial production deal. We haven't even seen the prototype for Özgür II yet. But again, I don't see many other aircraft projects that would get this kind of budget only for IFF and comms equipment.

 

[boredaf]

Too early for Özgür II, no?

But if these are the systems that are going to be used for it, would it make big difference if the order is given now? At least IFF and comms wouldn't be a bottleneck.

 

[Saithan]

Pity, I was thinking perhaps it would be possible to get the 18 Iraqi F-16

Iraq seeks F-16 IQ aircraft from US - Airforce Technology

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress of a potential foreign military sale of 18 F-16IQ aircraft, including aircraft associated equipment, parts, weapons, training and logistical support to Iraq.

www.airforce-technology.com

Seems they have issues keeping them working

Iraq's Air Force modernisation accelerates with new aircraft

As part of its military reform program, Iraq is investing in its air force by procuring new aircraft, including Rafale jets from Dassault.

www.airforce-technology.com

 

[Sanchez]

Per MoD Güler's latest words last week, 2 RAF Typhoons will visit Turkey on Dec 18, after joining a joint exercise in Qatar and land directly at Mürted/Akıncı.

İki Eurofighter 18 Aralık'ta Ankara'ya geliyor - Tolga Özbek

Katar'da Ferocious Falcon V Tatbikatı'na katılan Kraliyet Hava Kuvvetleri'ne ait iki Eurofighter tipi savaş uçağı, 18 Aralık'ta Ankara'da Mürted Hava Meydan

tolgaozbek.com

Reading into this a bit more, I'm puzzled and this visit might be a little more unusual than the rest.

Firstly, 2 aircraft are I believe 2 RAF Typhoons from the joint RAF/Qatari joint squadron No. 12, which was reformed to train Qatari pilots and crews after their purchase in the past. I think it has deployed to Qatar at no less than 3 times since it was reformed in 2018.

Piece also adds that these aircraft will be returning from Qatar after joining the Qatari/European joint exercise "Ferocious Falcon V", which Turkey also joined. But this exercise was in 2023, not 2024. Hence my thinking these aircraft were not just there for the exercise but deployed there temporarily as part of No. 12 squadron.

2 aircraft are FGR4s per Özbek. While complicated, a FGR.Mk4 is basically a single seater Block 5 EF2000 built under Tranche 1 updated with multi-role capabilities for ground strike and recce roles unlike earlier blocks.

FGR4s are the most capable of the RAF Tranche 1s but they are also to be retired in the following few years.

Per the piece, 2 aircraft will directly come to Mürted base, to home of TAI and not Eskişehir and Konya, which are the more popular airbases for joint exercises.

I think either we might see an update on the previously dispelled claim of HvKK buying ex-RAF Typhoons, or this might be the first of many visits to start a joint RAF/TurAF squadron to train Turkish pilots and crews like how RAF did with Qataris and how we recently did with Qataris in Qatar. Or maybe even both...

Thought it was interesting.

 

[dBSPL]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1869362388581097850

Could one of the reasons why Mürted is the base for this be the detailed technical studies conducting by Havelsan, Aselsan and TAI on various system integration possibilities?