Editing Vickers VC10 (section)

====1980s and 1990s====
In 1981, 14 former BA Super VC10s were purchased and stored for spare parts. In the early 1990s, to help the VC10 fleet replace the recently retired [[Handley Page Victor]] tankers, five of the stored aircraft were converted to ''VC10 K.4'' tankers.<ref>Barrie 1993, pp. 25–26.</ref> Shortly after entering service, extensive wing tank [[corrosion]] was discovered on the lower wing surfaces; this was attributed mainly to the storage method used prior to conversion, the wing tanks had been defuelled and filled with water as ballast. Extensive wing tank corrosion rectification work, including tank replacement, often took place during major services. The K.4 conversions, as with the K.2, lacked forward freight doors, thus it was decided that there would be no internal refuelling tanks fitted. The K.4 had identical refuelling equipment to the K.2 and K.3, but lacked the extra fuselage fuel tanks and retained the same fuel capacity as a Super VC10.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, the 13 surviving C.1s were equipped with wing-mounted refuelling pods (HDUs) and re-designated as ''VC10 C.1K'' two-point tanker/transports. No extra tanks were fitted, the fuel load remaining at 80&nbsp;tons (70&nbsp;tonnes). The conversions were undertaken by FR Aviation Limited based at [[Hurn Airport]], near Bournemouth.<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1990/1990%20-%200278.html?search=VC10 "BAe and FR win RAF tanker deal."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305204245/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1990/1990%20-%200278.html?search=VC10 |date=5 March 2016 }} ''Flight International'', 13 February 1990. p.18</ref> The in-flight refuelling probe was an original feature on the aircraft, but had been removed during the 1970s and 1980s due to lack of use; the probes were refitted prior to the conversion. Replacing the Conway engines with [[IAE V2500]] was studied but was not found to be cost-effective.<ref name = "barrie 26">Barrie 1993, p. 26.</ref>

In 1982, VC10 C.1s formed a part of the airbridge between RAF Brize Norton and [[Wideawake Airfield]] on [[Ascension Island]] during [[Operation Corporate]], the campaign to retake the Falkland Islands.<ref name="airinternational"/> VC10s were also used in a more unconventional sense – the [[Avro Vulcan]] bombers that participated in [[Operation Black Buck]] had been rapidly retro-fitted with the [[Delco Carousel|Dual Delco Carousel]] navigation system of the Super VC10s, enabling effective open-ocean navigation.<ref>Rowland White – Vulcan 607</ref> A pair of VC10s were also painted with Red Cross markings and used for casualty evacuation from neutral Uruguay during the conflict.<ref name="malta">[http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130918/world/raf-to-retire-vc10s-after-50-years.486622 "RAF to retire VC10s after 50 years."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318224702/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130918/world/raf-to-retire-vc10s-after-50-years.486622 |date=18 March 2014 }} ''Times of Malta'', 18 September 2013.</ref>

In 1991, 9 K.2s and K.3s were deployed to bases in [[Bahrain]], [[Saudi Arabia]] and [[Oman]] as part of [[Operation Granby]], the UK's contribution to the [[Gulf War|First Gulf War]]. A total of 5,000 flight hours across 381 sorties were flown in the theatre, flying both aerial refuelling and logistical missions in support of coalition forces in combat with the occupying Iraqi forces in Kuwait.<ref name="malta"/><ref name="airinternational"/> VC10s remained stationed in the region throughout the 1990s, supporting allied aircraft enforcing no-fly zones over parts of Iraq, and during the [[Bombing of Iraq (1998)|1998 Airstrikes on Iraq]].<ref name="no 101">[http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafbrizenorton/organisation/101squadron.cfm "No. 101 Squadron."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513003957/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafbrizenorton/organisation/101squadron.cfm |date=13 May 2015 }} ''Royal Air Force'', Retrieved: 22 March 2013.</ref><ref name = "barrie 25">Barrie 1993, p. 25.</ref>

During the [[1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia]], VC10 tankers were stationed at bases in Southern Italy to refuel NATO aircraft in the theatre, as part of ''Operation Allied Force''.<ref name = "no 101"/> The VC10s allowed [[Panavia Tornado|Tornado]] GR.1 fighter-bombers stationed at [[RAF Bruggen]] to conduct long-range strike missions against targets inside [[Serbia]].<ref name="airinternational"/>