Tunisian Air Force
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Tunisian Air Force (Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriyah At'Tunisia) is one of the branches of the Tunisian Armed Forces.
Contents |
[edit] History
The Tunisian Air Force was established in 1959, five 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 MB326s.
There are four main bases: Bizerte/Sidi Ahmed, Gafsa, Bizerte/La Karouba and Sfax.
[edit] Organization
The order of battle of the Tunisian Air force is as below: [1]
[edit] Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed
- No. 11 Squadron
- Jet trainer squadron, flying MB.326s
- No. 15 Squadron
- Fighter squadron, flying F-5 Tigers
- No. 21 Squadron
- Transport squadron, flying Alenia G.222s, C-130s and S208s
[edit] Bizerte-La Karouba
- No. 31 Squadron
- Helicopter squadron
- No. 32 Squadron
- Helicopter squadron
- No. 33 Squadron
- Helicopter squadron
- No. 36 Squadron
- Helicopter squadron
[edit] 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
[edit] Gafsa
- No. 16 Squadron
- Jet trainer squadron, Flying L-59s
- No. ? Squadron
[edit] Equipment
- Jet fighters
- 12 Aero L-59 Super Albatros
- 6 Aermacchi MB-326 - 3 MB-326KT and 3 MB-326LT
- 12 Northrop F-5E Tiger II
- Jet trainers
- Transport aircraft
- 5 Aeritalia G.222
- 1 Dassault Falcon 20
- 2 Let L-410 Turbolet
- 5~6 Lockheed C-130B Hercules
- 1 Lockheed C-130E Hercules
- 2 Lockheed C-130H Hercules
- Utility aircraft
- 18 Aermacchi SF.260 (18)
- 2 SIAI-Marchetti S.208 (2)
- Helicopters
- 5~7 Aérospatiale SA 341 Gazelle
- Aérospatiale SA 319 Alouette - 3 and 8 National Guard
- 6 Aérospatiale SA 318 Alouette II
- 15 Bell 205
- 4 Bell 212 Twin Huey
- 4 Bell 412
- 1 Eurocopter AS 365 Dauphin
- 6 Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil
- 1 Eurocopter AS 355 Twin Ecureuil
- 1 Hughes 500
- Sikorsky S-76 Spirit
- 11 Sikorsky S-61
- 1 HH-3E Pelican
- 4 Bell UH-1H Iroquois
[edit] References
- ^ Tunisian Air Force OrBat. Scramble. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
