Tunisia’s military is looking at acquiring a dozen T-6C Texan II trainer aircraft from the United States in a deal worth more than $200 million. The US State Department has okayed the sale of the trainers to the North African nation.
Tunisia had requested the possible sale of 12 T-6C Texan II aircraft, spare engines, flight trainer, spares, ground handling equipment, support equipment and support worth an estimated $234 million.
The proposed sale will replace Tunisia’s aging trainer fleet and allow Tunisia to continue training pilots to support its counter-terrorism and border security missions. Tunisia has been battling jihadis and as such the new fleet will facilitate the mission both domestically and in the region that has been seeking to prevent ISIS from establishing a safe haven.
Tunisia is set to join Morocco as a T-6C operator as well as NATO’s Flying Training in Canada programme, Mexico, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Argentina, Greece, Israel and Iraq.
