Turkey evaluates Airbus and Boeing for critical tanker upgrade
Turkey is considering purchasing new aerial tankers, choosing between the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus and the Airbus A330 MRTT to replace its ageing KC-135 fleet.
According to the portal Breaking Defense, Turkey is faced with the decision to acquire successors to the currently used KC-135s. The choices are between two models: the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus and the Airbus A330 MRTT. A Turkish official stated that negotiations with both manufacturers are ongoing, although specific details regarding the number of aircraft or the purchase timeline have not yet been disclosed.
The Turkish Air Force currently operates seven KC-135R Stratotankers, stationed at the Incirlik base. Defence expert Barin Kayaoglu emphasises that acquiring new tankers is not only necessary but urgent. The choice between the American Boeing and the European Airbus also carries geopolitical significance. Purchasing Boeing aircraft could strengthen Turkey's relations with the USA, while choosing Airbus could maintain good relations with Europe.
Development of Turkish aviation infrastructure
During a visit to the Turkish defence company ASFAT, journalists had the opportunity to see how Turkey is modernising its aviation infrastructure. In Kayseri, at the 2nd Air Maintenance Factory Directorate, modernisation and maintenance of aircraft, including the A400M Atlas, are underway. After completing work on the last of the nine A400M aircraft, the factory will be ready to take on modernisation orders from other countries.
Mustafa Ilbas, president of ASFAT, announced that after the current projects are completed, the company plans to accept aircraft from abroad for modernisation. Currently, work is underway on C-130B and C-130E aircraft, with plans to expand infrastructure to handle all C-130 models, including the C-130J. These latter models could come to Turkey from the United Kingdom, as they are interested in acquiring a squadron of 12 C-130J aircraft retired from the British RAF.
Airbus A330 MRTT
The Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) is a versatile aircraft based on the civilian A330 fuselage, measuring about 59 metres in length and with a dry weight of approximately 125,000 kilograms, designed with easy configuration in mind to meet various needs. The aircraft can serve as an aerial tanker with a capacity of about 111,000 kilograms of fuel, equipped with a rigid central under-fuselage fuel boom and two flexible hose units under the wings.
The second option is a transport variant that can accommodate about 45,000 kilograms of various cargo in its hold. This offers significant flexibility compared to older designs, which could only be aerial tankers. The range of the Airbus is nearly 15,000 kilometres.
