Tunisia receives Grand Caravan EX aircraft

One of four new Textron 208 Grand Caravan EX aircraft being used by Tunisia for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions over North Africa. (U.S. Embassy in Tunisia)

Tunisia has received four Textron 208 Grand Caravan EX aircraft for use in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions over North Africa.

Both the Tunisian Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia announced the delivery on September 9. The event at Al Aouina Air Base/Tunis-Carthage International Airport in Tunis was attended by Tunisian Defense Minister Khaled Sehili, U.S. Ambassador Joey Hood and other senior military and political dignitaries.

“These aircraft will support the operational capabilities of the Air Force in the field of information, surveillance and reconnaissance due to their characteristics, accuracy in performing tasks and speed in transmitting data, which will help combat terrorism and transnational organized crime and serve security and peace at the national and regional levels,” the Defense Ministry quoted Sehili as saying.

“The delivery of these four aircraft, worth a total of TND165 million (USD54 million), including long-term training and maintenance, represents a significant enhancement to the Tunisian Air Force’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities,” the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia said.

An information board displayed at the delivery ceremony indicated that the four Grand Caravans will be operated by the 41st Air Unit. Since the Tunisian Air Force does not operate any “air units,” this will likely mean 41 Squadron. For Tunisia, the Grand Caravans will complement 12 Maule MX-7-180B Star Rocket light aircraft equipped with Cloud Cap Technology’s TASE400 electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) imaging sensor systems for monitoring insurgent activity along the western border region. Digital communications equipment is also used aboard the aircraft to alert ground forces tasked with interdiction.