Transall C-160

infobox Aircraft
name = C-160

---

caption = C-160 of the German Luftwaffe
type = Transport aircraft
manufacturer = Transall
designer =
first flight = 25 February 1963
introduction = 1967
retired =
status =
primary user = Luftwaffe
more users = French Air Force Turkish Air Force
produced = 1965-1985
number built = 214
unit cost =
variants with their own articles =

The Transall C-160 (often C.160) is a military transport aircraft developed by a consortium of French and German aircraft manufacturers for the air forces of those two nations and that of South Africa. The C-160 will be replaced in French and German service by the Airbus A400M, now under development [Hewson, R. "The Vital Guide to Military Aircraft" 2nd edition. Airlife Publishing Ltd., England 2001.] .

Design and development

The C-160 was originally conceived as a replacement for the French Air Force's Nord Noratlas fleet. It is turboprop-powered and of conventional configuration for aircraft of this type, with high wings, and a loading ramp built into the rear of the fuselage. In size it falls between the Aeritalia G.222 and the C-130 Hercules.

Three prototypes flew in 1963, followed by pre-production machines in 1965 and production machines from 1967. The first batch included 110 C-160Ds for the Luftwaffe, 50 C-160Fs for the French Air Force, and 9 C-160Zs for the South African Air Force. Four C-160Fs were converted to C-160P air mail transport aircraft, and were operated by Air France. Production continued until 1972 with French aircraft built by Aérospatiale and German aircraft by Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm.

Operational history

In 1977, the French Air Force ordered an updated version designated C-160NG, for "Nouvelle Génération" ("New Generation"). From 1981, 29 of these aircraft were delivered, half of them configured as tanker aircraft for aerial refuelling. Another 4 were configured as C-160H TACAMO aircraft, for communication with submerged submarines. Finally, 2 more were converted to SIGINT electronic surveillance aircraft, designated C-160G "Gabriel", replacing the Noratlases that had been in this role previously. While still new, the C-160Gs took part in the Gulf War of 1991.

From 1994 to 1999, all French C-160s underwent an avionics upgrade and the addition of new anti-missile countermeasures. The C-160Fs and NGs so updated were redesignated C-160R ("Renové" - "renovated"). Luftwaffe machines have similarly undergone life-extension programmes by BAE Systems, but all French and German machines are reaching the end of their service lives as of 2008. All South African machines have already been retired, while the Turkish Air Force continues to operate 20 machines obtained from Germany (C-160T).

To replace the Transall, the Luftwaffe, the French Air Force, and the South African Air Force ordered respectively 60, 50 and 8 Airbus A400M.

Operators

Military operators

;FRA
* French Air Force;GER
* Luftwaffe ;flag|South Africa|
* South African Air Force ;TUR
* Turkish Air Force

Civil operators

;FRA
* Air France on behalf of French Postal Service;IDN
* Manunggal Air Service;SUI
* Balair

pecifications (Transall C-160D)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

crew=five - two pilots, flight engineer, tactics officer, Loadmaster
capacity=cargo or up to 80 troops
length main=32.40 m
length alt=106 ft 4 in
span main=40.00 m
span alt=131 ft 3 in
height main=12.36 m
height alt=38 ft 3 in
area main=160 m²
area alt=1,721 ft²
empty weight main=30,000 kg
empty weight alt=62,700 lb
loaded weight main=46,000 kg
loaded weight alt=103,400 lb
max takeoff weight main=49,150 kg
max takeoff weight alt=112,200 lb
payload main=16,000 kg
payload alt=32,300 lb

engine (prop)=Rolls-Royce Tyne 22
type of prop=turboprops
number of props=2
power main=4,225 kW
power alt=5,565 hp

max speed main=513 km/h
max speed alt=319 mph
range main=1,850 km
range alt=1,150 miles
ceiling main=8,230 m
ceiling alt=30,000 ft
climb rate main=6.67 m/s
climb rate alt=1,312 ft/min
loading main=294 kg/m²
loading alt=60 lb/ft²
power/mass main=180 W/kg
power/mass alt=0.11 hp/lb

avionics=
* Flight management system
* GPS
* Laser-INS (inertial navigation system)
* TCAS II collision avoidance system

ee also

aircontent
related=

similar aircraft=
* Antonov An-12
* Antonov An-26
* EADS CASA C-295
* Kawasaki C-1

lists=
* List of military aircraft of France
* List of military aircraft of Germany
* List of aircraft of the South African Air Force
* List of military transport aircraft

References

External links

* [http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/transall/ C-160 page at Airforce-technology.com]