Turkey’s C-130J military cargo haulers undergo upgrade work in the UK

ISTANBUL — Cambridge, U.K.-based Marshall Aerospace has confirmed that 12 C-130J Hercules transport aircraft acquired by Turkey from the United Kingdom have been delivered to its facilities for maintenance and modernization under a new multiyear contract signed with the Turkish Air Force.

The Turkish Ministry of National Defence announced during its weekly press briefing last week that preparations for the process had begun.

Under the agreement, Marshall Aerospace will carry out scheduled maintenance, provide spare parts and tooling, and deliver training support for the Turkish Air Force. The aircraft will gradually enter service after undergoing upgrades and center wing box replacements in the United Kingdom.

According to the Turkish MoD, the aircraft have been handed over to the company for overhaul and modernization. Once work in the UK is completed, they will be inducted into Turkish service in phases. The ministry added that future maintenance and sustainment will be carried out domestically following specific training programs.

The Turkish Air Force currently operates 19 C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft: six B models and 13 E models. The addition of the C-130Js will rejuvenate its aging Hercules fleet and complement its Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft in long-range and heavy-lift missions.

Cem Devrim Yaylali is a Turkey correspondent for Defense News. He is a keen photographer of military ships and has a passion for writing about naval and defense issues. He was born in Paris, France, and resides in Istanbul, Turkey. He is married with one son.

伊斯坦布尔——总部位于英国剑桥的马歇尔航空航天公司证实，土耳其从英国购买的 12 架 C-130J 大力神运输机已交付至其设施进行维护和现代化改造，这是该公司与土耳其空军签署的一项新的多年期合同的一部分。

土耳其国防部在上周的每周新闻发布会上宣布，相关准备工作已经开始。

根据协议，马歇尔航空航天公司将为土耳其空军提供定期维护、备件和工具，以及培训支持。该飞机将在英国完成升级和中央翼盒更换后逐步投入使用。

据土耳其国防部称，这些飞机已交付给相关公司进行大修和现代化改造。待英国的改造工作完成后，这些飞机将分阶段交付土耳其军队服役。国防部补充说，未来的维护和保障工作将按照特定的培训计划在土耳其国内进行。

土耳其空军目前拥有19架C-130“大力神”运输机：6架B型和13架E型。C-130J的加入将使其老旧的“大力神”机队焕发新生，并与现有的空客A400M“阿特拉斯”运输机在远程和重型运输任务中形成互补。

杰姆·德夫里姆·亚伊拉利是《防务新闻》驻土耳其记者。他热衷于拍摄军舰，并对海军和国防议题充满热情。他出生于法国巴黎，现居土耳其伊斯坦布尔。他已婚，育有一子。