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France bids accelerated adieu to Transalls

19th October 2021 - 13:02 GMT | by Jean-Marc Tanguy in Paris

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The venerable C-160 Transall is capable of taking off and landing from short and unpaved runways. (Photo: Jean-Marc Tanguy)

Retirement of the nine remaining C-160 aircraft is happening more quickly than the French Air and Space Force wanted.

The French Air and Space Force has ceased heavy maintenance on the last remaining aircraft in the C-160 Transall fleet in preparation for their withdrawal from early 2022, almost 60 years after the aircraft entered service.

France had intended to retire its Transalls in 2018 but delays in the Airbus A400M programme prompted an extension until 2021 for conventional missions, 2023 for special missions and 2025 for the Gabriel.

The Air and Space Force even wanted to retain its Transalls until 2028 — but in fact the exact opposite is happening with an accelerated withdrawal.

Seven Transalls remain in the

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