British military's Hercules aircraft could be heading to Turkey
The C-130J Hercules aircraft, retired from service in the British army, may soon find a new owner. According to the Bulgarian military portal, the Turks are eyeing 12 transport aircraft. Although this scenario is consistent with various sources, authorities from either side have not yet confirmed it.
London announced in 2023 that it intends to retire 14 C-130J aircraft. Soon after, rumours emerged about which country the aircraft would go to. Although the UK has not officially disclosed the potential buyer, speculation primarily pointed to Turkey. At the same time, there was no mention of transferring the Lockheeds to Ukraine.
Ankara plans to purchase 12 aircraft from the British
"Reports from various sources, from England to the Balkans, suggest that Ankara plans to acquire 12 of the 14 retired British C-130J Hercules," reports Bulgarian Military. It is known that the British Air Force has operated the Lockheed C-130J since the late 1990s. The aircraft has been utilised multiple times during various military operations and humanitarian missions.
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft are American four-engine turbo propeller machines. Since their introduction into service in 1956, they have been produced in 40 different versions. The latest variant currently being built is the C-130J.
Improved Rolls-Royce Allison AE2100 engines power the mentioned C-130J compared to its predecessors. Additionally, it features digital avionics systems, and the number of necessary crew members in the cockpit has been reduced to two. British RAF service has two variants of the Hercules C-130J (Mk5 in the standard version and Mk4 in the extended version).
The dimensions of the basic version of the C-130J span over 40 metres in wingspan and nearly 30 metres in overall length. The height of this Lockheed reaches over 12 metres, while its empty mass is 38 metric tonnes. The maximum speed at which this transport aircraft can travel reaches about 600 km/h, while the altitude at which it can operate is 10,000 metres. The actual range is 3,800 km.
However, given that the Lockheed C-130J is a transport aircraft, it lacks armament to counter potential threats. Instead, it has space for nearly 100 passengers or over 60 paratroopers. The cargo hold can accommodate loads weighing up to 20 metric tonnes, including up to three Humvee-type vehicles or one M113 armoured personnel carrier.
