The Tunisian Air Force ( ar, جيش الطيران, french: Armée de l'Air) is one of the branches of the

Tunisian Armed Forces The Tunisian Armed Forces ( ar, القوات المسلحة التونسية) consist of the Tunisian Army, Air Force and Navy. As of 2019, Tunisia had armed forces with more than 150,000 active-duty personnel, of which 80,000 were conscripts. ...

History

The Tunisian Air Force was established in 1959, three years after

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

regained its independence from

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. It took deliveries of its first aircraft, eight

Saab 91 Safir The Saab 91 Safir (Swedish for sapphire) is a three (91A, B, B-2) or four (91C, D) seater, single engine trainer aircraft. The Safir was built by Saab AB in Linköping, Sweden (203 aircraft) and by '' De Schelde'' in Dordrecht, Netherlands ( ...

s, 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-B's and then 5 MB326-LT's. 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.326KT's were supplied for light attack duties. In 1981, Tunisia ordered 12 F-5's (8 F-5E and 4 F-5F); deliveries took place in 1984–85. Tunisia added 5 ex-USAF F-5E's 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 12 UH-60M. Tunisia's four main bases are

Bizerte Bizerte or Bizerta ( ar, بنزرت, translit=Binzart , it, Biserta, french: link=no, Bizérte) the classical Hippo, is a city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia. It is the northernmost city in Africa, located 65 km (40mil) north of the cap ...

/ Sidi Ahmed,

Gafsa Gafsa ( aeb, ڨفصة '; ar, قفصة qafṣah), originally called Capsa in Latin, is the capital of Gafsa Governorate of Tunisia. It lends its Latin name to the Mesolithic Capsian culture. With a population of 111,170, Gafsa is the ninth-la ...

/ La Karouba, and

Sfax Sfax (; ar, صفاقس, Ṣafāqis ) is a city in Tunisia, located southeast of Tunis. The city, founded in AD849 on the ruins of Berber Taparura, is the capital of the Sfax Governorate (about 955,421 inhabitants in 2014), and a Mediterrane ...

Organization

The

order of battle In modern use, the order of battle of an armed force participating in a military operation or campaign shows the hierarchical organization, command structure, strength, disposition of personnel, and equipment of units and formations of the armed ...

of the Tunisian Air force is as below:

Tunis-Laouina

;No. 12 Squadron: Transport squadron,

Let L-410 Turbolet The Let L-410 Turbolet is a twin-engine short-range transport aircraft, manufactured by the Czech aircraft manufacturer Let Kunovice (named Aircraft Industries since 2005), often used as an airliner. The aircraft is capable of landing on short a ...

Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed

;No. 11 Squadron: Jet trainer squadron, Aermacchi MB-326 ;No. 15 Squadron: Fighter squadron,

Northrop F-5 The Northrop F-5 is a family of supersonic light fighter aircraft initially designed as a privately funded project in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation. There are two main models, the original F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter variants and t ...

Tiger ;No. 21 Squadron: Transport squadron,

C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desi ...

, G-222

Bizerte-La Karouba

;No. 31 Squadron: Helicopter squadron, Bell 205,

UH-1 Iroquois The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility helicopter, utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Bell Huey family, Huey family, as we ...

;No. 32 Squadron: Helicopter squadron,

Alouette II Alouette or alouettes may refer to: Music and literature * "Alouette" (song), a French-language children's song * Alouette, a character in ''The King of Braves GaoGaiGar'' Aerospace * SNCASE Alouette, a utility helicopter developed in France i ...

Ecureuil Eurocopter Écureuil may refer to one of three related helicopter designs, each of which was originally manufactured by Aérospatiale (later part of Eurocopter Group, now Airbus Helicopters). * Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil helicopter * Eurocopter AS ...

;No. 33 Squadron: Helicopter squadron ;No. 36 Squadron: Helicopter squadron

Sfax-Thyna

;No. 13 Squadron: Light utility and liaison squadron, flying SF-260s ;No. 14 Squadron: Light utility and liaison squadron, flying SF-260s ;No. ? Squadron: Helicopter squadron

Gafsa

;No. 16 Squadron: Jet trainer squadron, flying L-59s ;No. 34 Squadron:

Aircraft

Current inventory

References

Sources

* ''World Aircraft Information Files.'' Brightstar Publishing, London. File 337 Sheet 03 {{Air forces Air forces by country Military of Tunisia Military units and formations established in 1959 1959 establishments in Tunisia Military aviation in Africa