Tunisian Air Force

Tunisian Air Force
"القوات الجوية التونسية"
Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya At'Tunisia

Seal of the Tunisian Air Force
Founded 1959
Country  Tunisia
Size 4,000 personnel
Part of Tunisian Armed Forces
HQ Bizerte
Nickname TAF
Anniversaries 24 July
Equipment 119 aircraft
Engagements War on Terror
Commanders
Commander General Taïeb Lajimi
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
Attack Aermacchi MB-326
Fighter Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II+
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 (Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya At'Tunisia) is one of the branches of the Tunisian Armed Forces.

Air Force

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-B's and then 5 MB326-LT's. In 1969, the country received 15 ex-USAF F-86F Sabre. Between 1974 and 1978 12 SF.260 Warriors and 9 SF.260C were delivered for basic training. In 1977–78 8 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 taking place in 1984-85. Then adding 5 ex-USAF F-5E's from the Alconbury Aggressor Squadron (in 1989). In 1985 Tunisia ordered 2 C130-H's Hercules. 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. Tunisa has two C-130J-30s on order for delivery in 2013 and 2014.

Possible purchase of 12 UH-60M[1]

There are four main bases: Bizerte/Sidi Ahmed, Gafsa, Bizerte/La Karouba and Sfax.

Organization

The order of battle of the Tunisian Air force is as below:[2]

Tunis-Laouina

36°50′57″N 010°14′51″E / 36.84917°N 10.24750°E

No. 12 Squadron
Transport squadron, Let L-410 Turbolet

Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed

37°14′58″N 009°46′48″E / 37.24944°N 9.78000°E

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

37°15′10″N 009°47′40″E / 37.25278°N 9.79444°E

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

34°42′55″N 010°41′47″E / 34.71528°N 10.69639°E

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

34°25′04″N 008°48′45″E / 34.41778°N 8.81250°E

No. 16 Squadron
Jet trainer squadron, flying L-59s
No. ? Squadron

Current air force equipment

Image Aircraft Country Number in service[3] On order Notes
Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II+ United States United States of America 12
Aero L-59 Super Albatros Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia 12[4]
C-130B/H Hercules United States United States of America 7
Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules United States United States of America 2[5]
Let L-410 Turbolet Czech Republic Czech Republic 4
Eurocopter AS350 France France 6
Bell 205 United States United States of America 20
Bell 412 United States United States of America 3
HH-3E Jolly Green Giant United States United States of America 19
SA 316 Alouette III France France 8
SE 313 Alouette II France France 8
Bell UH-1 Iroquois United States United States of America 11
F-5F Tiger II United States United States of America 3
Aero L-39 Albatros Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia 9
Aermacchi MB-326 Italy Italy 10
SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 Italy Italy 18

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Air force of Tunisia.
  1. ↑ "Tunisia – UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters - The Official Home of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency".
  2. ↑ "Tunisian Air Force OrBat". Scramble. Retrieved 2007-08-05.
  3. ↑ World Air Forces 2014 (PDF). Surrey, United Kingdom: Flightglobal Insight. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "L-59 Albatros from modeller`s view".
  5. ↑ "Lockheed Martin delivered second C-130J Super Hercules airlifter to the Republic of Tunisia". December 12, 2014.

Sources