The Tunisian Air Force (, ) is one of the branches of the

Tunisian Armed Forces The Tunisian Armed Forces () consist of the Tunisian Army, Tunisian Air Force, 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. Paramilitary forces consisted ...

History

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

Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...

regained its independence from

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. 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. Tunisia's four main bases are

Bizerte Bizerte (, ) is the capital and largest city of Bizerte Governorate in northern Tunisia. It is the List of northernmost items, northernmost city in Africa, located north of the capital Tunis. It is also known as the last town to remain under Fr ...

/ Sidi Ahmed,

Gafsa Gafsa (; ; ') is the capital of Gafsa Governorate in Tunisia. With a population of 120,739, Gafsa is the ninth-largest Tunisian city and is 335 km from the country's capital, Tunis. Overview Gafsa is the capital of Gafsa Governorate, in ...

/ La Karouba, and

Sfax Sfax ( ; , ) is a major port city in Tunisia, located southeast of Tunis. The city, founded in AD849 on the ruins of Taparura, is the capital of the Sfax Governorate (about 955,421 inhabitants in 2014), and a Mediterranean port. Sfax has a ...

Organization

The

order of battle 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 force. Various abbr ...

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 designed and produced by the Czech Republic, Czech aircraft manufacturer Aircraft Industries, Let Kunovice (named Aircraft Industries since 2005). It was developed as the ''L ...

Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed

;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 th ...

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 Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 w ...

Bizerte-La Karouba

;No. 31 Squadron: Helicopter squadron,

Bell 205 The Bell 204 and 205 are the civilian versions of the UH-1 Iroquois single-engine military helicopter of the Huey family of helicopters. They are type-certificated in the transport category and are used in a wide variety of applications, i ...

, UH-1 Iroquois ;No. 32 Squadron: Helicopter squadron, Alouette II, Ecureuil ;No. 33 Squadron: Helicopter squadron ;No. 36 Squadron: Helicopter squadron

Sfax-Thyna

;No. 31 Squadron: Helicopter squadron

Gafsa

;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