The Tunisian Air Force has bolstered its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capacity with the delivery of four Textron Aviation C-208B Grand Caravan EX aircraft from the United States.
The US Embassy and Tunisian Ministry of Defence announced the aircraft’s arrival on 9 September in a ceremony at Al-Auaina Air Base. It said the aircraft are valued at $54 million, and the delivery includes training and maintenance.
The handover ceremony was attended by high-level officials from both sides, including Tunisian Minister of Defence Khaled Sehili, US Ambassador Joey Hood, Chief of Staff of the Tunisian Air Force General Mohammed Hajem, and Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the US Air Force Brigadier General Ricky Mills.
“These aircraft will support the operational capabilities of the air force in the field of information, surveillance, and reconnaissance thanks to their characteristics, accuracy in carrying out tasks, and speed in passing data, which will help confront terrorism and transnational organised crime and serve security and peace at the national and regional levels,” Sehili is quoted as saying.
US officials said the aircraft are configured for ISR purposes, but not be armed. Photos showed the aircraft fitted with electro-optical gimbals under their fuselages. Surveillance equipment includes night vision capability. The contract for the aircraft includes spare parts, flight training, technical drawings, logistics support and ground support equipment.
The deal was conducted via a US government initiative to equip multiple African nations with a combined 16 Grand Caravan EX aircraft via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process. Eligible countries participating in the FMS programme can buy goods and services with their own funds or with funds provided through US government-sponsored assistance programmes. Past recipients are Cameroon, Chad, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda.
Other countries across the continent also are beefing up their surveillance fleets. In March, US officials announced that two Grand Caravan EX turboprop aircraft would be sent to the Djiboutian Air Force for ISR.
Since 2011, the US has invested over $1 billion in security cooperation with Tunisia, including more than $160 million in 2023. This support has enabled Tunisia to participate in UN Peacekeeping Operations, engage in humanitarian missions, and become a regional security hub, the US military said. It added that it recently reaffirmed this strategic partnership by delivering a sixth C-130 military transport aircraft, used for various humanitarian efforts. “Additionally, US counterterrorism programs have bolstered Tunisia’s security forces, reducing terrorist threats and enhancing border surveillance. The United States has also contributed to significant infrastructure projects in Tunisia, including airports, dams, and water systems.”
About 4 500 people serve in Tunisia’s Air Force. A state of emergency has been in effect in Tunisia since terrorist attacks took place in 2015. Militants have attacked the capital city of Tunis periodically, but the main area of terrorist operations remains the central-western highlands near the Algerian border.
“The southern border is a designated militarized zone with high security due to cross-border smuggling and terrorist activities and the threat emanating from Libya,” reports risk management group Crisis24. “The deterioration of the Libyan security environment has led to a bolstering of defensive measures along the military buffer zone and maritime territories in Tunisia.”
