Tunisia Receives Four Cessna Aircraft for Intelligence Missions

ADF STAFF

Tunisia in early September received four Textron C-208 aircraft from the United States government. Equipped with control, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, the aircraft are used for intelligence missions.

The donation, valued at $54 million, includes long-term training and maintenance. The aircraft are equipped for a variety of missions, including border security, counterterrorism operations and disaster response.

“The delivery takes place under the Tunisia-U.S. cooperation and in application of the military cooperation program agreed during the 34th session of the Tunisia-U.S. Joint Military Commission held in 2020,” Tunisian Defense Minister Khaled Shili said during a handover ceremony at the El Aouina Air Base in Tunis.

Shili commended what he called a “successful transaction” of the aircraft. He also highlighted joint efforts aimed at establishing an electronic border surveillance system.

The donation illustrates the U.S. government’s commitment to increasing the capacity and capability of the Tunisian Air Force, U.S. Ambassador Joey Hood said.

“This investment underscores the enduring strategic partnership between our two nations, as well as our mutual commitment to promoting security and stability within the region,” Hood said at the ceremony.

The U.S. and Tunisia have enjoyed strong diplomatic relations for more than 200 years. Since 2011, the U.S. government has invested more than $1 billion in security cooperation with Tunisia, including more than $160 million in 2023.

The U.S. in August cleared a potential sale of SAFE Archangel patrol boats to Tunisia with a value of about 333,806,000 Tunisian dinars ($110 million). The 65-foot patrol boats are used for search and rescue missions, maritime law enforcement, and other maritime-related operations.

The boats are equipped with dual 1,600-horsepower diesel engines, shock-absorbing seating and climate control. Their range is up to 400 nautical miles. The number of vessels was not disclosed.

The boats “are mostly for brown water in near shore operations that are useful for anti-smuggling activity and light security patrols,” security analyst Ryan Bohl told Breaking Defense.

In May, both countries celebrated the delivery of the sixth C-130 military transport aircraft to Tunisia. The military has used the aircraft, valued at $190 million, to fight fires in Tunisia, deliver aid to flooded areas in Libya and provide medical support for earthquake victims in Turkey.

The aircraft also may be used in U.N. peacekeeping missions. As of May, Tunisia was contributing about 900 military, security and penitentiary officers in six U.N. missions, including five in Africa.

In late August, Tunisia sent 120 troops to reinforce the U.N. mission in the Central African Republic, known as MINUSCA. The troops will participate in air rescue operations, medical evacuation and transporting personnel.

“We are very happy to welcome today the Tunisian contingent of the Tunisian Air Force, here to strengthen the force’s capacities to better help the Central African people, to protect civilians and to provide the necessary security to this country,” Paulo Maia Pereira, MINUSCA’s deputy commander, said in a report by Rédaction Africans.

The Tunisian Armed Forces also are upgrading their primary training area at Ben Ghilouf with U.S. support. The upgrade involves the construction of a new life support area, including seven barracks designed to house 630 people, and two mess halls capable of accommodating 430 people at a time.

Earlier stages of the renovation included upgrading a training range, a new range observation tower, a canopy for tactical briefings and a helicopter landing zone. A new range operations center is designed to improve military exercise coordination and management.

Future upgrades will include more barracks and an urban combat area. The upgrades are intended to improve living conditions for troops on extended training assignments. The U.S. Navy is supporting the project with construction work.

U.S. support also has helped Tunisia serve as a training hub for continental partners. In April and May, Tunisia hosted the 20th annual African Lion military exercise, along with Ghana, Morocco and Senegal. African Lion bolsters defense capabilities and fosters interoperability among participating nations.