Turkey eyes Boeing’s KC-46, Airbus’ MRTT for its new tanker requirement

A Boeing KC-46A Pegasus takes off at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Oct. 25, 2018, during a system evaluation. This is the first time the KC-46A visited Japan. The flight is to support an initial evaluation by the USAF of the KC-46A’s integrated mission system suite as well as its ability to conduct worldwide navigation, communication and operation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe)

ANKARA — Turkey is deciding between Boeing’s KC-46A Pegasus and the Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) to replace its retiring KC-135 tanker aircraft, a Turkish official with knowledge of the matter told Breaking Defense.

The choice “to buy the new tanker [is between] MRTT and KC-46,” the official said, adding the negotiations are ongoing with both sides. However, the official didn’t specify the number of tankers in demand or the timeline of any prospective deal.

The Turkish Air Force operates seven KC-135R Stratotankers, stationed at Incirlik air base.

Turkish defense expert Barin Kayaoglu told Breaking Defense that the decision to buy new tankers is a “big need and timely.”

About which is more likely to be contracted, he said that both aircraft make sense from a geopolitical standpoint: “Buying American [Boeing’s KC-46] helps Ankara-Washington / Erdoğan-Trump ties. [While] buying European [Airbus A330 MRTT] keeps Türkiye in Europe’s good graces.”

And it might not be the last big buy for Turkey along these lines, Kayaoglu said, as Turkey “needs bigger and longer-haul cargo planes” to replace its fleet of A400Ms.

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The information came during a media tour with Turkish defense contractor ASFAT. Breaking Defense, like other outlets, accepted travel and accommodation for the trip. As part of the trip, reporters visited air maintenance factories, including the 2nd Air Maintenance Factory Directorate in Kayseri where tanker and carrier aircraft undergo retrofit and Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO).

During the tour, Turkey’s eighth Airbus A-400 M Atlas military transport aircraft was lined up for delivery after finalizing its retrofit at the factory. After the ninth and final aircraft delivery, the Airbus-certified retrofit will be vacant waiting for deals with foreign customers to perform similar retrofit activities on their aircraft.

ASFAT CEO Mustafa Ilbas told Breaking Defense in an interview that after completing the last retrofit on the A400s, there are plans “to bring aircraft from outside.”

Already, MRO work on Turkish C-130B and C-130E jets is ongoing at the 2nd Air Maintenance Factory Directorate, but, “We are going to increase [and] improve the capability. We are going to build new hangers, great and bigger hungers. We are going to have the [MRO] capability of any type of C- 130s, including [C-130]J.”

Turkey has reportedly requested to procure a squadron of 12 C-130J, which have retired from UK’s Royal Air Force service.