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Turkey\u2019s air force has agreed to acquire a total of 12 C-130 military transport aircraft from the British Royal Air Force, previously declined by Greece, to reinforce its transport capacity, according to Turkish media reports.<\/p>\n
The British and Turkish sides have reportedly reached an agreement in principle and will soon sign contracts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ankara has agreed to purchase the 12 military transport aircraft, designed and built by American aerospace and defense company Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin, for a sum of $740mln, according to reports.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Athens had examined the prospect of acquiring these British air force planes in late 2022, when a private company had acted on behalf of the RAF, sources said. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Greek air force had dispatched a team of experts to the UK to inspect the planes, but, after a detailed evaluation, it was determined that their acquisition would not be cost-effective as many of the aircraft were deemed to be significantly worn and nearing the end of their operational lifespan, the sources noted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A number of the RAF aircraft would have required grounding and extensive overhauls to become operational, the sources pointed out.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the aircraft would not have been available for immediate delivery, as the RAF planned to retire them in 2025, the sources said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Greek Air Force is awaiting a response from the US regarding a renewed request for the allocation of four C-130 aircraft through the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program. Of these, three planes are still operational but slated for retirement in 2025, while one is currently grounded and will require restoration.<\/p>\n
Also, Athens is exploring all potential options for its next generation of military transport aircraft. However, according to reports, final decisions are expected to be made closer to the end of the decade.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Currently, two types of transport aircraft are under consideration: the US-made Lockheed Martin C-130J and the C-390 Millennium by Brazil\u2019s Embraer.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n