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 1
Organization 2
- Tunis-Laouina 2.1
- Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed 2.2
- Bizerte-La Karouba 2.3
- Sfax-Thyna 2.4
- Gafsa 2.5
Current air force equipment 3
References 4
Sources 5

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

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

Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed

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

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. 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. ? Squadron

Current air force equipment

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

References

^ "Tunisia – UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters - The Official Home of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency".
^ "Tunisian Air Force OrBat". Scramble. Retrieved 2007-08-05.
^ World Air Forces 2014. Surrey, United Kingdom: Flightglobal Insight. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
^ "L-59 Albatros from modeller`s view".

Sources

World Aircraft Information Files. Brightstar Publishing, London. File 337 Sheet 03

Defence & Law Enforcement in Tunisia

Military	Tunisian Armed Forces Tunisian Army Tunisian Navy Air Force Groupe des Forces Spéciales (GFS)

Para Military	Garde Nationale Unité Spéciale de la Garde Nationale (USGN) Groupement Commando de la Garde Nationale (GCGN)

State Police	Police Brigade Anti Terrorisme (BAT) BNIR BOP

Categories

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Tunisian Air Force