Giving the RAF’s Hercules transport force its own air-to-air refuelling capability was a boost for its commitment to the South Atlantic theatre in the aftermath of the 1982 war, as a former ‘Herc’ pilot relates
It was realised that the RAF’s transport fleet would need an air-to-air refuelling capability both during the Falklands conflict to support the Operation ‘Corporate’ task force, and to help set up and resupply the subsequent defence of the islands. Flight Refuelling and Marshall of Cambridge, the UK designated company for the major servicing of the RAF’s Lockheed Hercules since 1966, were tasked with fitting AAR probes to the Hercules C1s, and had completed the first six conversions by the end of April. Ultimately, all C1s — and subsequently the ‘stretched’ C3s — were so equipped.
