Editing Transall C-160 (section)

==Operational history==
[[File:C-160 Transall doing a Sarajevo Landing.jpg|thumb|right|A C-160 performing a steep descent prior to landing, 2005]]

In July 1974, the Turkish Air Force used 7 C-160Ds during the [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus|invasion of Cyprus]], to transport troops, drop paratroopers and carry supplies. Having entered service with the Turkish armed forces in 1971, these aircraft provided great amount of lift during the operation.<ref> Kibris Icin Havalandilar: G - Gunu , Levent Basara - Serhat Guvenc, Page: 63 - Kronik Kitap</ref>

In April 1976, the French Air Force used 12 C-160s in support of [[Shaba I|Operation Verveine]], airlifting Moroccan troops and equipment to [[Zaïre]] during a border conflict with [[Angola]].<ref name="airbritain" />  In May 1978, several C-160s dropped paratroopers of the [[French Foreign Legion]] during the [[Battle of Kolwezi]].<ref name="airbritain" />

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 four were configured as ''C-160H Astarté'' [[TACAMO]] aircraft for communication with submerged [[submarines]], a vital component of France's [[nuclear deterrent]] system.<ref name ="chant 472"/>

In a final conversion, two aircraft were furnished for [[SIGINT]] electronic surveillance, designated ''C-160G Gabriel'', replacing the [[Noratlas]]es that had been in this role previously.{{refn|The C-160G was designed to, while flying at altitudes between 7,000 and 10,000 meters, intercept communications and radar emissions within a radius of 800 kilometres.<ref name="aid wie 198"/>|group=N}} In routine operations, the C-160Gs would often supplement France's [[Boeing E-3 Sentry]] [[Airborne early warning and control|AWACS]] aircraft.<ref name="aid wie 198">Aid and Wiebes 2001, p. 198.</ref> In 1991, a SIGINT-equipped C-160G was deployed as part of France's contribution to Coalition forces during and after the [[Gulf War]] to support a [[no-fly zone]] and embargoing of [[Iraq]].<ref name="aid wie 198"/>

[[File:Transal-IMG 1448.jpg|thumb|left|A pair of French Air Force C-160s flying overhead, 2006]]
C-160s were in continuous use to support French bases in sub-Saharan Africa; the tanker variants also proved valuable in supporting African operations.<ref name ="rcp 97-98">Rouvez, Coco and Paddack 1994, pp. 97–98.</ref> The C-160 fleet was the staple of the French military airlift capability for many years, supplemented by small numbers of [[McDonnell Douglas DC-8]]s, [[CASA/IPTN CN-235]] and [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules]] as of 1990.<ref name ="rcp 96-97">Rouvez, Coco and Paddack 1994, pp. 96–97.</ref>

During the [[South African Border War]] during the late 1980s, the South African Air Force's C-160s were vital for deploying and supplying troops in the border region and into positions in southern [[Angola]] due to the otherwise-impassable terrain. The importance of airpower in the war led to a great deal of the fighting being centred upon remote airstrips, both sides trying to gain or deny the same advantageous positions and place stress upon the opposing force's logistical efforts.<ref>Johnson, Grissom and Oliker 2008, pp. 217–218.</ref> In one particular mission, a C-160 was used to move a captured [[SA-8]] from Angola to South Africa. The C-160 was chosen for this task over the [[C-130]] because of its larger cargo hold and its ability to lower its hull while on the ground, which facilitated the loading of the heavy vehicle.<ref>Dick Lord, 2019, ''From Fledgling to Eagle: The South African Air Force during the Border War'', Chapter 14</ref>

The C-160 has been a prominent component of several other international efforts. Germany's C-160 fleet has been used to support [[peacekeeping]] efforts in [[Sudan]],<ref>"Sudan accuses Israel, Germany of involvement in Darfur conflict". ''Sudan Tribunal'', 22 December 2004.</ref> a regular detachment of C-160s was also dispatched in support of the multinational [[International Security Assistance Force]] presence in the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Afghanistan]].<ref>"German planes begin supply flights for anti-terror campaign, sharing burden with U.S. crews". ''Associated Press'', 26 November 2001.</ref> Both French and German C-160s were used in supporting [[Operation Serval]], the French-led intervention in the [[Northern Mali conflict (2012–present)|Northern Mali conflict]].<ref>MÜller, Alberecht. [https://archive.today/20130408015757/http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130207/DEFREG01/302070018/German-Government-Wants-Boost-Support-Malian-Operation?odyssey=nav%7Chead "German Government Wants To Boost Support for Malian Operation."] ''defensenews.com'', 7 February 2013.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defense.gouv.fr/operations/actualites/mali-lancement-de-l-operation-serval|title=Mali: lancement de l'opération Serval, Ministère de la Défense|language=fr|publisher=Defense|date=12 January 2013|access-date=2 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115001719/http://www.defense.gouv.fr/operations/actualites/mali-lancement-de-l-operation-serval|archive-date=15 January 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> For either humanitarian or military purposes, C-160s have conducted extensive operations in a number of nations, including [[Mauritania]], [[Niger]], [[Chad]], [[Ethiopia]], [[Bosnia]], and [[Lebanon]].<ref>Wache 2004, pp. 68, 82.</ref>

[[File:Waffenträger Wiesel wird in eine Transall verladen.jpg|thumb|A [[Wiesel AWC|Wiesel]] combat vehicle being loaded into a C-160 via the rear ramp, 2010]]
Starting in 1984 onwards, German airframes underwent LEDA I{{refn|''LEDA'' is a German acronym for ''Lebensdauerverlängernde Maßnahme'', translating to 'life extension measures'.<ref name="blum 2"/>|group=N}} and LEDA II life extension measures, which were focused on the wings. Subsequent programs carried out in the 1990s, such as LEDA III, concentrated on the whole structure of the aircraft; raising the airframe life from 8,000 flights to 12,000 flights, and introducing new avionics systems such as a self-defence system and a replacement flight management system.<ref name="blum 1">Blumschein 1999, p. A26-1.</ref>

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").{{Citation needed|date=March 2013}} In 2009, the French Defence Ministry announced a modernisation of the C-160 fleet, enabling it to continue in service until 2018 if required.<ref>Mackenzie, Christina. [http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post:80ced091-1687-473c-b667-90b2fb50f4f4 "France to Upgrade C-160 Transalls."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130228072419/http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7 |date=2013-02-28 }} ''Aviation Week'', 5 June 2009.</ref>

In late 2011, it was announced that Germany's Transall fleet had accumulated a combined total of one million flight hours.<ref>Timo Braam, Alexander Bräutigam. [http://www.luftwaffe.de/portal/a/luftwaffe/!ut/p/c4/NYqxDsIwDAX_yE4XCmykZWBgYYGymdaqLCVOFQyVEB9PMvBOuuUe3rGg9JaZTJJSwBsOo-wfK4QVjCkCiz4h0ofwWs8Tw5iUrdpYTYrnTJYyLClbqOWVcykgEw6u6b3buP-a7_bcdf64a9v-5C-4xHj4AUlKNFY!/ "Transall C-160 erfliegt eine Millionste Flugstunde."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403232528/http://www.luftwaffe.de/portal/a/luftwaffe/!ut/p/c4/NYqxDsIwDAX_yE4XCmykZWBgYYGymdaqLCVOFQyVEB9PMvBOuuUe3rGg9JaZTJJSwBsOo-wfK4QVjCkCiz4h0ofwWs8Tw5iUrdpYTYrnTJYyLClbqOWVcykgEw6u6b3buP-a7_bcdf64a9v-5C-4xHj4AUlKNFY!/ |date=2015-04-03 }} Luftwaffe.de, 5 October 2011.</ref> {{as of|2012}}, the global C-160 fleet was approaching the end of its service life; all South African C-160s have already been retired, while the [[Turkish Air Force]] continued to operate 20 aircraft obtained from Germany (''C-160T''). To replace the Transall, the German, French and South African Air Forces ordered 60, 50 and eight [[Airbus A400M]]s, respectively;<ref>Hoyle, Craig. [http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2013/02/europes-transall-turns-50.html "Europe's Transall turns 50."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130303075223/http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2013/02/europes-transall-turns-50.html |date=2013-03-03 }} ''Flight Global'', 25 February 2013.</ref> the South African order was later cancelled.<ref>Roberts, Janice. [http://www.moneyweb.co.za/mw/view/mw/en/page295023?oid=558212&sn=2009+Detail "Airbus refunds A400M payments to Armscor."] ''Moneyweb,'' 19 December 2011.</ref>

In 2015, it was announced that the retirement of Germany's Transall fleet had been pushed back from 2018 to 2021 due to delays with the Airbus A400M; until 2021, a decreasing number of aircraft shall remain in service to perform missions that require the Transall's self-protection suite.<ref>Stevenson, Beth. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/germany-to-join-multinational-tanker-effort-419627/ "Germany to join multinational tanker effort."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208063327/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/germany-to-join-multinational-tanker-effort-419627/ |date=2015-12-08 }} ''Flight International'', 2 December 2015.</ref><ref>[http://www.luftwaffe.de/portal/a/luftwaffe/!ut/p/c4/NYo7DsIwEAVvtGuj8BFdLDdQ0kDolsRYFo5trTZJw-GxC95I08zDJ1YSrcGThJwo4gOHMZxfG8QNMnt4R2L6aPBcdh3e239yMObkpFlcklDtmSQzlMwSW1mYa4Ew4aC0Neqg_tPffn-8WnPSnb2YG5Z57n_tBG3T/ "LTG 63 fliegt noch bis 2021 mit Transall."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822064719/http://www.luftwaffe.de/portal/a/luftwaffe/!ut/p/c4/NYo7DsIwEAVvtGuj8BFdLDdQ0kDolsRYFo5trTZJw-GxC95I08zDJ1YSrcGThJwo4gOHMZxfG8QNMnt4R2L6aPBcdh3e239yMObkpFlcklDtmSQzlMwSW1mYa4Ew4aC0Neqg_tPffn-8WnPSnb2YG5Z57n_tBG3T/ |date=2016-08-22 }} ''Luftwaffe.de'', 14 December 2015.</ref> The last German Transall wing was disbanded in December 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=KS|date=2021-12-15|title=Transall ist nun Geschichte: LTG 63 aufgelöst|url=https://www.flugrevue.de/militaer/transall-ist-nun-geschichte-ltg-63-aufgeloest/|access-date=2021-12-15|website=www.flugrevue.de|language=de}}</ref>
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