Aviation Naval Warfare Land Systems Small Arms By Flag By Year By Tag

Transall C-160

1967 COLD WAR MODERN AIRCRAFT

History of the Transall C-160

The Transall C-160 tactical transport aircraft was born out of a joint Franco-German consortium called "Transporter Allianz" ("Transall" for short), which in turn consisted of Nord (later Aerospatiale), Hamburger Flugzeugbau (later Messerschmitt- Bolkow -Blohm (MBB)) and Weser Flugzeugbau (later VFW-Fokker). The consortium was established in January 1959 to develop a new, adaptable and robust tactical military transport for the French and West German Air Forces.

The program proved to be one of the rare achievements of joint European cooperation, promoting the viability of high-wing propeller transport aircraft in a military environment (perhaps most notably the American Lockheed C-130 Hercules series). The new Fasid creation will continue this role, ultimately providing the respective operators with a lifeline for mid-rise operations.

Transall Group agrees that the aircraft design is centred on a large internal cargo bay, accessed via a power loading ramp in the rear for easy handling. This design will be complemented by high wing loads to help keep the rotating propeller blades off the ground and provide inherently good short takeoff and landing characteristics on semi-level runways. The aircraft is then tasked with delivering supplies, equipment or combat-ready troops, including paratroopers, to North Africa as needed.

The aircraft will also have strong low-speed, low-altitude flight characteristics consistent with the controlled descent of a pallet carrying supplies or paratroopers in flight. Power comes from two high-performance turboprop engines, and the range is excellent.

To mark their new design, the aircraft took on the traditional designation "C" (for "cargo," widely accepted in American shipping nomenclature), followed by the design's wing area in square meters, which is "160" ". Therefore, the aircraft officially received the designation "C-160".

From the outset, joint development work has been marked by a national standard 50/50 partnership, with no single company identified as the prime contractor. The French have accumulated considerable experience in recent joint operations, mainly with the British on the Concorde high-speed aircraft and the SEPECAT Jaguar strike fighter. The Germans, on the other hand, lacked such knowledgein part because aviation technology was still progressing after the demilitarization of Germany after World War IIand was limited to making simple transport aircraft. Nord will gain production control of the engine nacelles, wings and landing gear control systems, while Hamburger will produce the front and rear parts of the fuselage, the all-important powered cargo door and vertical stabilizer.

Weser acquired the rights to manufacture the landing gear door panels and the central fuselage/wing root section. The engine of choice is a Rolls-Royce Tyne 20 Mk 22 turboprop with 6,100 hp, built under license in France by Hispano-Suiza.

In terms of design, the C-160 has a very traditional appearance, not unlike the Lockheed C-130 Hercules mount. The structure is all metal with a semi-monocoque inner frame. The fuselage is sturdy and tubular - flattened only along the bottom fairing - the flight deck is attached forward behind a short nose cone assembly for excellent visibility from the cockpit. Doors were installed on both sides of the rear fuselage for paratroopers to drop off or passengers to get on and off.

The wings are placed in front of the center mass and mounted high for maximum ground clearance and strong lift performance. The wing assembly lacks swept and is truncated at the tip. Two pairs of engines are mounted along the leading edge of the wing in a streamlined nacelle, each with a four-bladed propeller system. The rear wing is specifically designed to taper upwards and provide unobstructed access to the rear loading ramp. The loading dock is designed as a two-part system with the main dock floor lowered to the height of a standard truck bed.

The upper tail section then rises to improve overhead clearance. The floor of the truck chassis is sufficiently reinforced to carry nearly all types of supplies and equipment - including light vehicles - within the stated weight limits. The integrated winch system helps bring heavy loads to the boat. In the cargo compartment, up to 93 seats can be installed to transport passengers, while 60-88 combat readiness troops find their place (their equipment takes up the rest of the space). Alternatively, 62 medical stretchers and corresponding medical personnel can be transported.

The rear wing is covered by a large area of ??vertical fins with two horizontal fins at the bottom. The low-position landing gear is fully retractable and consists of a pair of four-wheel main landing gear and a two-wheel nose landing gear strut.

The main legs are anchored in the fuselage underpad at the center of the design, while the nasal bones are retracted under the flight deck floor. The low pressure characteristics of the wheels make them suitable for use in rough terrain.

The first of three prototypes made its maiden flight on 25 February 1963 in Melun, France. The remaining two prototypes took off separately later that year, and two static test frames were also delivered. Early production of the aircraft began in 1965, resulting in six pre-production "C-160A" model aircraft. With the evaluation completed and official entry into service, serial production of the C-160 began in 1967, split equally between the West German and French parties - remember, no factory or country produced each aircraft as a whole.

For the final end product, both are interdependent.

The original production company delivered 110 prototypes to the Luftwaffe ("C-160D" - D for "Germany"), while France completed 50 prototypes ("C-160F" - F for "France"). The first foreign recipient was South Africa, which received 9 copies of the "C-160Z" model. According to German statistics, 20 will eventually be delivered to Turkey in the form of "C-160T". Air France also used four C-160 production variants as "C-160Ps" for night mail services. Pelita Air in Indonesia also uses the C-160NG for national mail delivery.

Apart from France and West Germany, only South Africa is a direct military customer of the C-160.

The standard C-160 design is powered by the aforementioned 6,100 hp Rolls-Royce Tyne 20 Mk 22 turboprop. This gives the airframe a top speed of 368 mph, a range of 1,150 miles, and a reported range of 5,500 miles for the ferry.

The aircraft is capable of reaching a service ceiling of 27,000 feet at a climb rate of nearly 1,300 feet per minute. The C-160 has a wingspan of over 131 feet, a height of just over 38 feet, and a barrel length of about 106 feet.

In addition to the turboprop setup, the C-160 wing includes the option to receive additional jet boosters, which provide the aircraft with up to 5,200 pounds of additional thrust, to significantly improve STOL operations. Despite these advantages, the feature has not been actively used by any carrier.

The cockpit and cargo compartment can also be pressurized to suit comfort and operating height.

By 1977, the French Air Force wanted to upgrade their C-160F product line and commissioned the new designation "C-160NG" (NG = "New Generation"). The development of the new aircraft led to serial production of 29 new airframes starting in 1981. About 14 of these airframes were further developed for "dual duty", designed for the role of aerial tanker, with transport still their primary role (hose reel system mounted on the port landing gear). Five new C-160NG airframes are also available as "ready-to-go" refueling units if required. The production C-160NG has a fixed aerial refueling probe and enlarged internal fuel storage tanks for increased operational range.

Self-defense also benefits from the addition of a Type 507 chaff/flare dispenser, as well as the Thompson-CSF "Sherloc" Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) system.

The C-160H "TACAMO" became a group of four C-160NG aircraft, equipped with special "non-jamming" communications equipment that allowed the crew to communicate with the French nuclear submarine underwater. Two other C-160NG airframes, modified to serve the SIGNIT role of the surveillance platform, themselves feature wingtip pod fittings, retractable radomes under the forward fuselage, and antennas throughout the design bracket.

These models were designated "C-160G GABRIEL" and were in service during the late Cold War and the 1991 Gulf War.

Total production of the C-160 is 214, including the aforementioned prototypes and pre-production models.

Of course, over time, the C-160 has shown its age on the modern battlefield. Between 1994 and 1999, French authorities approved a modernization program to keep its C-160F and C-160NG variants operational in the near future. Upgrades include updated digital systems, digital processing and a cockpit head-up display (HUD), as well as a new radio management system and improved flight instruments. GPS was also introduced into the family series and further tackled the defense kit. These changes led to the eventual designation "C-160R" (R = "refurbished").

Likewise, the Luftwaffe has drawn up an interim modernization plan for its C-160 fleet. However, like the French, this only temporarily extended the life of the aircraft. Unlike the French and Germans, however, the South Africans continued to advance and withdraw their entire C-160Z fleet.

At the time of writing, Turkey continues to use its former German C-160T.

The C-160 family is expected to eventually be replaced by the newest, state-of-the-art Airbus A400M transport aircraft currently with long development times and rising program costs. Both Germany and France dropped quantitative orders of this type (due to reduced volumes), and South Africa eventually dropped out of the program entirely. However, the C-160 continued to serve in the French, German and Turkish Air Forces.

In the ongoing war against oil-rich Libya, the French have used at least one C-160, which is based on Crete.

The Transall C-160 design has been around for over 40 years since its inception and has proven to be a reliable and effective device that fulfills its well-defined role.

March 2018 - The French Air Force plans to replace their pair of Transall C-160G Gabriel SIGINT aircraft with improved Dassault Falcon business jets in the same role. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2025.