Lockheed TriStar (RAF)

RAF Tristar
RAF Tristar KC1 ZD948 landing at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, 2013
Role	strategic tanker / transport Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Lockheed Corporation
First flight	16 November 1970 (1970-11-16) (L-1011)
Introduction	24 March 1986 (1986-03-24)
Retired	24 March 2014 (2014-03-24)
Status	retired
Primary user	Royal Air Force
Produced	1979–1984
Number built	9 conversions
Developed from	Lockheed L-1011 TriStar

The RAF Tristar is a retired air-to-air refuelling tanker and transport aircraft, formerly in service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). All airframes were retro-converted civilian Lockheed L-1011-500 TriStar airliners, previously operated by British Airways and Pan American World Airways, and entered service with the RAF in 1984.

TriStar aircraft were purchased following the Falklands War as a result of satisfying an urgent operational requirement for four strategic tanker/transport/freighter aircraft had been identified. Of the nine that entered service, the first six were acquired from British Airways with analogue autopilot systems. Four of these were converted into KC1 variants that met the full requirement, with the remaining two converted to K1 standard without a cargo freight door in the front cabin area. The three ex-PanAm aircraft, all with digital autopilts, and after a period of storage, received modifications for military radios and performed a passenger-only role with underfloor freight as C2/C2A variants. Upon entering military service, the RAF dropped the upper-case 'S" when describing their Tristar aircraft.

The KC1 and K1 variant of RAF Tristar formed the air-to-air refuelling fleet of the RAF until replaced by the Airbus A330 MRTT under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme. The RAF Tristar fleet was retired in 2014.

The RAF Tristars were operated by No. 216 Squadron, and based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, England. No. 216 Squadron was officially disbanded on 20 March 2014, and flew its last sorties with the Tristar on 24 March 2014.^[1] Three aircraft were scrapped in 2014 for spare parts shortly after retirement. The remaining six aircraft were flown to and stored at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome, having been purchased by AGD Systems Corp in anticipation of a later sale. The aircraft were being maintained by GJD Systems to a fully airworthy condition, however they have since been scrapped.