Transall C-160
The Transall C-160 is a military transport aircraft, produced as a joint venture between France and Germany. "Transall" is an abbreviation of the manufacturing consortium Transporter Allianz, comprising the companies of MBB, Aerospatiale, and VFW-Fokker. It was initially developed to meet the requirements for a modern transport aircraft for the French and German Air Forces; export sales were also made to South Africa and to Turkey, as well as a small number to civilian operators.
| C-160 | |
|---|---|
| C-160 of the German Air Force | |
| Role | Military transport aircraft |
| National origin | France/Germany |
| Manufacturer | Transall |
| First flight | 25 February 1963 |
| Introduction | 1967 |
| Retired | South Africa (1997) Germany (2021) France (2022) |
| Status | Active service (Turkey) |
| Primary users | German Air Force (former) French Air and Space Force (former) Turkish Air Force |
| Produced | 1965–1985 |
| Number built | 214 |
The C-160 remains in service more than 60 years after the type's first flight in 1963. It has provided logistical support to overseas operations and has served in specialist roles such as an aerial refueling tanker, electronic intelligence gathering, and as a communications platform.
The C-160 is replaced in French and German service by the Airbus A400M Atlas, and a small number of Lockheed-Martin C-130J Super Hercules operated in a multinational unit.