Tunisian Air Force

The Tunisian Air Force (Arabic: جيش الطيران, French: Armée de l'Air^[1]) is one of the branches of the Tunisian Armed Forces.

Tunisian Air Force
جيش الطيران (Arabic) Armée de l'Air (French)
Badge of the Tunisian Air Force
Founded	1959; 66 years ago (1959)
Country	Tunisia
Type	Air force
Role	Aerial warfare
Size	4,500 personnel
Part of	Tunisian Armed Forces
Headquarters	Bizerte
Anniversaries	24 July
Equipment	155 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	Northrop F-5
Fighter	Northrop F-5
Helicopter	Bell 412 Bell 204/205 Bell UH-1N Iroquois Bell OH-58 Aérospatiale Alouette II Aérospatiale Alouette III Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk Sikorsky S-61R Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil
Patrol	Cessna 208 Maule M-7
Trainer	Northrop F-5F Beechcraft T-6 Texan II
Transport	Let L-410 Turbolet, Lockheed C-130B/H/J-30 Hercules/Super Hercules

History

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

The order of battle of the Tunisian Air force is as below:^[3]

Tunis-Laouina

No. 12 Squadron

Transport squadron, Let L-410 Turbolet

Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed

No. 15 Squadron

Fighter squadron, Northrop F-5 Tiger

No. 21 Squadron

Transport squadron, C-130 Hercules

Bizerte-La Karouba

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

No. 31 Squadron

Helicopter squadron

Gafsa

No. 34 Squadron

Aircraft

A C-130J approaching on to Beijing Capital International Airport

A Tunisian HH-3 helicopter participating in a rescue exercise in Bizerte

Current inventory

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	ISR	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 412 EPX	United States	Utility	Bell 412 EPX	(12 on order)	During Paris 2025 air show Tunisia has signed a deal with Bell to acquire 12 Bell 412 EPX[7]
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	Czechoslovakia	Jet trainer	L-59T	6-9[4][8]
SF.260	Italy	Trainer		17[4][8]
Textron T-6 Texan II	United States	Trainer	T-6C	8[4][9]
UAV
TAI Anka	Turkey	ISTAR / UCAV	Anka S	6[10]