TR Transfer of THY's Airbus A330s to the TAF

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dBSPL

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According to Tolga Özbek: negotiations are underway for the transfer of 9 Airbus A330s in the THY Fleet to the Turkish Air Force. If this plan realized, A330s will undergo maintenance and modification at Kayseri Air Supply Maintenance Center Command. The goal is to make the necessary modifications for these aircraft to be used in tanker-military transport missions with kits from Airbus.


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If this transformation can be achieved, also the Turkish A400m fleet will reach its air refueling capability at non-joint operations. In addition to modernizing the aging tanker aircraft fleet, both increased capabilities and modular flexibility can be created. Therefore, if this rumors will turn to real, it has a potential that will increase the deterrence of the Turkish air force in terms of access to nearby geographies. It can be useful to closely follow these news, even if it is still at the level of rumors.

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Fuzuli NL

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Our KC-135 fleet is getting older and older, TAF should really start looking for alternatives. We have the capability to modify airliners into air-refeulling tankers, I believe it was made for another country before.
I hope these rumors are true.
 

Yasar_TR

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First of the 7 KC-135 tankers have been modernised and returned home under Boeing’s KC-46A programme. These old birds are being given new lease of life to carry on operating.
But I would also like to see if the A330’s are being altered in to being new strato-tankers.

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Sanchez

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Any updates on this? On hiatus or just fell through? It has been 2 years. KC-135s were already starting their mod package in 2020 which is mostly(fully?) completed. But still no info on the replacement.
 

Quasar

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KC-135R will be in service for next 15 years. Guess Air force is not in a hurry.

After 15 years our Airforce can/will look quite diffrent from what we have now with possibly totally diffrent requirements.

But who knows we may even start fantasizing about small unmaned stealth ASENAs
 
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Sanchez

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KC-135R will be in service for next 15 years. Guess Air force is not in a hurry.

After 15 years our Airforce can/will look quite diffrent from what we have now with possibly totally diffrent requirements.

But who knows we may even start fantasizing about small unmaned stealth ASENAs
They should be in a hurry.

You can't refuel an F-16 (or MMU for that matter judging from past images) without a boom and we're not making a passenger jet sized drone to carry that boom anytime soon.
 
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Quasar

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They should be in a hurry.

You can't refuel an F-16 or (MMU for that matter judging from past images) without a boom and we're not making a passenger jet sized drone to carry that boom anytime soon.
ok I admit Yes I skiped a very important detail '' boom''
 
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I mean we already use KCR-135 series who are US made origin I don't get what you mean.
Bro I meant us made refuelers are getting old and Turks only going to upgrade existing platforms and Turkish Airforce's is so big it needs atleast 12 to 16 Airbus is a perfect platforms for turkiya
 

Khagan1923

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For the first Time Airbus exhibited the A-330 MRTT Evolution in Farnborough during FIA 2024.

Now I'm interested if we will see any movement in acquisition of the A-330 for the TAF. At IDEF23 an Airbus official had mentioned that Airbus was offering this version, the A-330 MRTT+ to the Turkish Air Force and that they could be its first customer or user, not sure on the exact words.
 

Fuzuli NL

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Now I'm interested if we will see any movement in acquisition of the A-330 for the TAF. At IDEF23 an Airbus official had mentioned that Airbus was offering this version, the A-330 MRTT+ to the Turkish Air Force and that they could be its first customer or user, not sure on the exact words.
Operator.
Customer / User are ok too.
 
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