List of equipment of the Tunisian Army

This is a list of equipment used by the Tunisian Army.

Current equipment

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Infantry equipment

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Name Image Origin Type Notes
Future Assault Shell Technology helmet
 
  United States Combat Helmet Used by Army special forces and national guard.
Lightweight Helmet
 
  United States Combat Helmet Standard army helmet with digital camouflage.
AN/PEQ-15
 
  United States Laser Aiming Module (LAM) In use with special forces brigade.

Small arms

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Name Image Caliber Type Origin Notes
Pistols
Glock 17
 

9×19mm Parabellum

Semi-automatic pistol   Belgium /   United States The pistol is mostly seen with special forces.
Browning HP-35   9×19mm Parabellum Semi-automatic pistol   Belgium /   United States Standard service pistol.
Beretta M1951   9×19mm Parabellum Semi-automatic pistol   Italy Limited use or possibly no longer in service.
Submachine guns
Heckler & Koch MP5   9×19mm Parabellum Submachine gun   West Germany Used by special forces units.
Beretta M12 9×19mm Parabellum Submachine gun   Italy In use also within police and national guard.
Shotguns
Franchi SPAS-15 12 gauge Shotgun   Italy
Assault Rifles, Battle Rifles
M4 carbine   5.56×45mm NATO Assault rifle, Carbine   United States Standard issue assault rifle, replacing the Steyr Aug
Steyr AUG   5.56×45mm NATO Assault rifle   Austria Being phased out and replaced with M4, remaining in use in few units.
M16 rifle   5.56×45mm NATO Assault rifle   United States Limited service rifle. Used by special forces units.
AKM   7.62×39mm Assault rifle   Soviet Union Used by Saharian territory infantry units.
Type 56   7.62×39mm Assault rifle   China Used by Saharian territory infantry units.
FN FAL   7.62×51mm NATO Battle rifle   Belgium No longer in use within the army. In limited use with national guard.
Machine guns
M249
 
5.56×45mm NATO Light machine gun, Squad automatic weapon   Belgium /   United States Used by infantry and special forces units.
FN Minimi   5.56×45mm NATO Light machine gun, Squad automatic weapon   Belgium /   United States Used as a squad automatic weapon by infantry.
FN MAG   7.62×51mm NATO General-purpose machine gun   Belgium Used by infantry as general-purpose machine gun and by Tunisian Air Force mounted on helicopters.
M60
 
7.62×51mm NATO General-purpose machine gun   United States Standard general-purpose machine gun. Variants include M60E6.
MG 3   7.62×51mm NATO General-purpose machine gun   West Germany
M2 Browning   12.7×99mm NATO Heavy machine gun   United States Heavy support machine gun used on tripod or mounted on vehicles.
M1919 Browning   7.62×63mm NATO Medium machine gun   United States Limited use.
Sniper rifles
KAC 110
 
7.62×51mm NATO semi-automatic sniper rifle   United States Used by special forces and several army units.
Hk417
 
7.62×51mm NATO semi-automatic sniper rifle Germany Used by SFB, Army special forces brigade.
Steyr SSG 69   7.62×51mm NATO Sniper rifle   Austria Standard service sniper rifle.
Barrett M82   12.7×99mm NATO Anti materiel sniper rifle   United States Used by special forces units.
Grenade launchers
M203   40 mm Grenade launcher   United States Grenade launcher coupled on Steyr AUG and M4.
Mk 19   40 mm Automatic grenade launcher   United States Heavy support grenade launcher mounted on vehicles.

Artillery

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Name Image Type Number Origin Notes
Towed artillery
M198   155mm towed howitzer 57[1]   United States Main artillery piece equipping 3 artillery battalions each attached to an Infantry Mechanized Brigade
Heavily deployed during Chaambi Operations
Delivered in 1989.
M101A1 howitzer   105mm towed howitzer 10-48[1]   United States Several units were seen in use during African lion 2024.
Mortars
M30   107mm heavy mortar 144   United States 78 towed + 36 mounted in mortar carriers M106A2 as self-propelled heavy mortars.
M29   81mm medium mortar 96   United States
Hirtenberger M6C-210   Light Mortar 300   Austria

Anti-tank weapons

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Name Image Type Caliber Origin Notes
Anti-tank guided missile
BGM-71 TOW   Anti-tank missile 152 mm with warhead   United States Mounted on HMMWV with some assumed to equip M901 ITV thus no evidence to confirm it.
Number of launchers is unknown, but considering the army organisation should be around 36.
454 missiles delivered in 1982 and 180 missiles delivered in 2006.[1]
MILAN   Anti-tank missile 115 mm with warhead   France
  West Germany /
  Germany
Number of launchers is unknown.
100 missiles delivered in 1981 and 40 missiles delivered in 1997.
Recoilless guns
M40 recoilless rifle   Recoilless rifle 105 mm   United States 70 in service, also mounted on Humvee.
Carl Gustaf 8.4cm recoilless rifle   Recoilless rifle 84 mm rifled   Sweden Running the M3 version but the number of pieces are unknown. Has been seen in some pictures within Tunisian soldiers.
Shoulder launched anti-tank rocket
RPG 32
 
unguided anti-tank rocket system 72/105 mm warheads Jordan / Russia Several units were seen with Army and National Guard units, number is unknown.
LRAC F1   Rocket-propelled grenade launcher 89 mm   France Unknown number of launchers, could be around 600.
RPG 7
 
Rocket-propelled grenade launcher 40 MM Russia Uknown number. Seen in use during african lion 2024

Anti-aircraft weapons

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Name Image Type Number Origin Notes
Surface-to-air missiles and early-warning radars
M-48 Chaparral   Surface-to-air missile 46   United States 26 M-48 launchers and 354 MIM72C missiles delivered in 1979
311 MIM72F Charparral missiles delivered in 1983
20 M-48 launchers, 300 MIM72C and 300 MIM72F Charparral missiles delivered in 2002 (second hand; aid)[1] Unknown serviceability.
RBS-70 Bofors   Surface-to-air missile 60   Sweden Delivered on since 1981, including 300 missiles in various batch.
Indra Radar
 
3D Long range radar NA Spain Has been seen in multiple videos released by the ministry of defense
Giraffe 40 radar   Medium-short range radar 12   Sweden Delivered in 1981.
Anti-aircraft guns
Zastava M55   3x20mm anti-aircraft guns 100   Yugoslavia Mostly employed as direct-fire artillery.

Tanks

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Name Image Type Number Origin Notes
Main battle tanks
M60A1/A3 Patton   Main battle tank 90   United States 54 M60A3 delivered in 1984 ($92m deal worth) and 30 M60A1 probably second hand[1]
Equipping 2 tank battalions each attached to an infantry mechanized brigade, Leopard 2A5 was being considered as a replacement.
Light tanks
SK-105 Kürassier   Light tank 55   Austria Delivered in 1979 equipped with FL-12 105mm tank turret of French AMX-13
Equipping 1 tank battalion attached to one infantry mechanized brigade.

Reconnaissance

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Name Image Type Number Origin Notes
Armored scout cars
Panhard AML60/90   Armored Scout Car 36   France 18 armored car delivered in 1970 and 10 second hand delivered in 1999. Variants includes AML-90 equipped with a 90mm gun and AML-60 equipped with a 60mm mortar.
EE-9 Cascavel   Armored Scout Car 36   Brazil

Armored vehicles

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Name Image Type Number Origin Notes
Armoured personnel carriers
M113   Armoured personnel carrier 300   United States M113A1 : 30 delivered in 1974 + 60 delivered in 1981
M-577A1 CP : 20 delivered in 1981 + 6 delivered in 2003[1]
Equipping 3 mechanized infantry battalions each attached to a mechanized infantry brigade.
Fiat-Otobreda 6614   Armoured personnel carrier 120   Italy Delivered in 1980
Equipping 3 mechanized infantry battalions each attached to a mechanized infantry brigade.
EE-11 Urutu   Armoured personnel carrier 36   Brazil
MRAP
BMC Kirpi   MRAP 270 + 44 on order   Turkey Delivered in 2016. Aimed to improve soldier protection against improvised explosive device attacks and ambushes following deadly terrorist attacks against the army. Equipped with remote weapon station and forward-looking infrared radar
Equipping newly established Intervention battalions.
Ejder Yalcin   MRAP 170   Turkey Delivered in 2017.
Equipping Saharian territory infantry units.
Dingo 2
 
MRAP N/A   Germany Units were seen in use with Saharan territory forces, numbers are unknown.
BMC Vuran   MRAP 50   Turkey Unconfirmed.
Cobra II   MRAP N/A   Turkey Several units were tested however the Tunisian Army chose Ejder Yalcin instead.
ACMAT Bastion   MRAP 8   France Delivered in 2016, financed by the United States DoD.
Equipping armored engineer, mine clearance unit.
Infantry mobility vehicles
HMMWV Up-Armoured   Infantry mobility vehicle 500   United States Delivered in 2016. M1165A1 version.
Equipped with M2 Browning .50 BMG machine guns.
Ground Mobility Vehicle
 
Infantry mobility vehicle Large quantities   United States Number of units are with the army used as fast attack and patrol vehicles, Equipped with light machine guns.
M997 ambulance
 
Military ambulance N/A   United States Used for medical evacuation.
Iveco LMV   Infantry mobility vehicle 150   Italy Used by national guard special units as well.
Technamm Masstech T4   Infantry mobility vehicle 100   France
CSK-131   Infantry mobility vehicle 100   China Several units were seen in the streets of the capital for evaluation purpose.
LPV Jeep J8   Infantry mobility vehicle 70   United States
  Egypt
Delivered in 2016.
Equipped with M2 Browning .50 BMG machine guns or Mk 19 grenade launchers.
NIMR   Infantry mobility vehicle 40   United Arab Emirates Delivered in 2012, probably as aid.
Toyota Land Cruiser
 
Infantry mobility vehicle N/A Japan Equipped with M2 Broning .50 BMG machine guns, employed by Saharian territory infantry units, Used for rapid intervention and desert patrol.
CFMOTO CFORCE1000
 
All terrain vehicle N/A   China Used by Sahran desert forces and national guard
Armoured recovery vehicles
M88A1 Recovery Vehicle   Armoured recovery vehicle 6   United States Delivered in 1984, as part of M60A3 Patton deal.
HET M1000
 
Armored recovery vehicle N/A   United States

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

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Name Image Type Number Origin Notes
Unmanned aerial vehicles
RQ-20 Pumas
 
Unmanned aerial vehicle N/A   United States Multiple units were seen with Army and Navy units for Recon purpose.
Phantom (unmanned aerial vehicle series)
 
Unmanned aerial vehicle N/A   China Used for tactical recon.
Quadcopter
 
Unmanned aerial vehicle N/A Multiple Countries Multiple variants are locally developed.

Logistics Vehicles

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Name Image Type Number Origin Notes
Logistics Vehicles
Iveco
 
Medium truck 500   Italy Operating in 6x6 and 4x4 variants.
FMTV
 
Tactical truck N/A   United States Seen in use in multiple areas.
Navistar
 
Medium truck N/A   United States Used for artilley transport and infantry.
Mercedes-Benz Unimog U-4000
 
Light truck N/A   Germany
Mercedes-Benz Unimog U-5000
 
Light truck N/A   Germany
M35A2
 
Medium truck N/A   United States
M151A2 MUTT
 
Military light utility vehicle N/A   United States Militray musuem of bardo
Land Rover Defender
 
Off road vehicle N/A   United Kingdom
M939
 
Heavy truck N/A   United States
M49
 
Tanker truck 56   United States

Radar

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  • 2 RASIT DRPT ground surveillance radar (France)
  • 2 AN/TPQ-53 (United States) on order
  • 4-6 Giraffe 40 (Sweden)

Former equipment

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Artillery

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  • 30 Mle 1950 BF-50 155 mm towed howitzer (France), delivered in 1960
  • 30 M114A1 155 mm towed howitzer (United States), ex-US, delivered in 1965
  • 48 M108 105 mm self-propelled howitzer (United States),ex-US, delivered in 1968

Anti-tank equipment

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  • 80 SS.11 ATGM launcher (France)
  • 300 M20 "Super Bazooka" 3.7 inch/94mm Light ATRL (United States)
  • 140 M18 57mm recoilless rifle (United States)

Anti-aircraft equipment

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  • 16 M42 Duster twin-mounted Bofors 40 mm self-propelled AAG (United States/Sweden) 8 delivered in 1968 and 8 delivered in 1972, all second hand; aid

Tanks

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  • 30 AMX-13/75 75 mm main gun light tank (France), 15 delivered in 1960 and 15 delivered in 1970
  • 12 M41 Walker Bulldog 76 mm main gun light tank (United States), delivered in 1960, second hand
  • 14 M48A5 Patton 90 mm main gun main battle tank (United States), delivered in 1973, second hand

Armoured vehicles

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  • 15 EBR-75 armoured car (France), delivered in 1957
  • 10 M8 Greyhound armoured car (United States), delivered in 1960

Reconnaissance

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Planned equipment

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  • Leopard 2A5 was considered by the Tunisian army as a replacement for the M60 Patton .
  • Dongfeng Mengshi CSK-131 has been seen in the streets of the capital of Tunisia with Chinese digital camouflage and Tunisian flag, Units are most likely for testing.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org.