Tunisian Air Force
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| Tunisian Air Force | |
|---|---|
| جيش الطيران (Arabic) Armée de l'Air (French) | |
 Badge of the Tunisian Air Force | |
| Founded | 1959 |
| Country |  Tunisia |
| Type | Air force |
| Role | Aerial warfare |
| Size | 4,500 personnel |
| Part of | Tunisian Armed Forces |
| Headquarters | Bizerte |
| Anniversaries | 24 July |
| Equipment | 159 aircraft |
| Engagements | War on Terror |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief | President Kais Saied |
| Commander of the Air Force | General Mohamed El Hajjam |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Aermacchi MB-326 |
| Fighter | Northrop F-5 |
| Patrol | SIAI-Marchetti S.208 |
| Trainer | Aero L-59 Super Albatros, Aermacchi SF.260 |
| Transport | G-222, Let L-410 Turbolet, Lockheed C-130B/H/J-30 Hercules/Super Hercules |
The Tunisian Air Force (Arabic: جيش الطيران, French: Armée de l'Air[1]) is one of the branches of the Tunisian Armed Forces.
History
[edit]The Tunisian Air Force was established in 1959, three years after Tunisia regained its independence from France. It took deliveries of its first aircraft, eight Saab 91 Safirs, in 1960, later to be complemented by further Saab 91 Safirs. The Tunisian Air Force entered the jet age in 1965 with the purchase of 8 MB326-Bs and then 5 MB326-LTs. In 1969, the country received 15 ex-USAF F-86F Sabres. Between 1974 and 1978 12 SF.260 Warriors and 9 SF.260Cs were delivered for basic training. In 1977–78, eight MB.326KTs were supplied for light attack duties. In 1981, Tunisia ordered 12 F-5s (8 F-5E and 4 F-5F); deliveries took place in 1984–85. Tunisia added 5 ex-USAF F-5Es from the Alconbury Aggressor Squadron in 1989. In 1985 Tunisia ordered two C130-H Herculeses. In 1995, a major Czech order was placed, with 12 Aero L-59 armed trainers and 3 Let L-410UVP transports ordered. In 1997, five surplus C-130B's were delivered from the USA. Tunisia had two C-130J-30s on order for delivery in 2013 and 2014. Tunisia purchased a 8 UH-60M.[2]
Tunisia's four main bases are Bizerte/Sidi Ahmed, Gafsa, Bizerte/La Karouba, and Sfax.
Organization
[edit]The order of battle of the Tunisian Air force is as below:[3]
Tunis-Laouina
[edit]- No. 12 Squadron
- Transport squadron, Let L-410 Turbolet
Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed
[edit]- No. 11 Squadron
- Jet trainer squadron, Aermacchi MB-326
- No. 15 Squadron
- Fighter squadron, Northrop F-5 Tiger
- No. 21 Squadron
- Transport squadron, C-130 Hercules, G-222
Bizerte-La Karouba
[edit]- No. 31 Squadron
- Helicopter squadron, Bell 205, UH-1 Iroquois
- No. 32 Squadron
- Helicopter squadron, Alouette II, Ecureuil
- No. 33 Squadron
- Helicopter squadron
- No. 36 Squadron
- Helicopter squadron
Sfax-Thyna
[edit]- No. 13 Squadron
- Light utility and liaison squadron, flying SF-260s
- No. 14 Squadron
- Light utility and liaison squadron, flying SF-260s
- No. 31 Squadron
- Helicopter squadron
Gafsa
[edit]- No. 16 Squadron
- Jet trainer squadron, flying L-59s
- No. 34 Squadron
Aircraft
[edit]
Current inventory
[edit]| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat aircraft | ||||||
| Northrop F-5 | United States | Light fighter | F-5E | 10[4] | ||
| Reconnaissance | ||||||
| Maule MX-7 | United States | Reconnaissance | MX-7 | 12[5] | For border surveillance | |
| Cessna 208 | United States | ISTAR | 4[6] | |||
| Transport | ||||||
| Let L-410 | Czech Republic | Utility | 5[4] | |||
| C-130 Hercules | United States | Transport / SAR | C-130B/H | 3[4] | ||
| C-130J Super Hercules | United States | Tactical airlifter | 2[4] | |||
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Bell 412 | United States | Utility | 2[4] | |||
| Bell 205 | United States | Utility | 21[4] | |||
| UH-1N Iroquois | United States | Utility | 16[4] | |||
| Bell OH-58 | United States | Armed scout | OH-58D | 18[4] | Ex US army | |
| Alouette II | France | Liaison / Light utility | 8[4] | |||
| Alouette III | France | Liaison / Utility | 7[4] | |||
| Sikorsky HH-3 | United States | SAR / Transport | 15[4] | |||
| Sikorsky UH-60 | United States | Utility | UH-60M | 8[4] | ||
| Eurocopter AS350 | France | Utility / Liaison | 6[4] | |||
| Trainer aircraft | ||||||
| Northrop F-5 | United States | Conversion trainer | F-5F | 3[4] | ||
| Aero L-59 | Czech Republic | Jet trainer | L-59T | 6[4] | Phased out of service in January 2023 | |
| Textron T-6 Texan II | United States | Jet trainer | T-6C | 8[4][7] | ||
| Aermacchi MB-326 | Italy | Jet trainer | 10[8] | Phased out of service | ||
| SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 | Italy | Trainer | 17[4] | Phased out of service/ replaced by T6 | ||
| UAV | ||||||
| TAI Anka | Turkey | ISTAR / UCAV | Anka S | 6[9] | ||
References
[edit]- ^ "Présentation au profil de l'armée de l'air" (in French). Retrieved 11 March 2020.
- ^ "Tunisia – UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters - The Official Home of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency". Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ^ "Tunisian Air Force OrBat". Scramble. Archived from the original on 15 December 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Hoyle, Craig, ed. (2023). "World Air Forces 2024". Flight Global. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ Warnes, Alan (14 February 2017). "Tunisian Maule ISR Package Revealed".
- ^ "United States Delivers Advanced Reconaissance[sic] Aircraft To Tunisian Air Force". U.S. Embassy in Tunisia. 9 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ McNeil, Harry (16 August 2023). "Beechcraft T-6C Texan II training system delivered to Tunisian Air Force". Airforce Technology. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ Lake, Jon (15 October 2019). "T-6C Texan II Sale Possible for Tunisia". ainonline.
- ^ "TUSAŞ hangi ülkelere kaç adet hava aracı teslim etti?" (in Turkish). 24 May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
Sources
[edit]
- World Aircraft Information Files. Brightstar Publishing, London. File 337 Sheet 03
| Military |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Para Military | ||
| State Police | ||