List of equipment of the Tunisian Army

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

Current equipment

Infantry equipment

Name	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

Name	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
Steyr AUG	5.56×45mm NATO	Assault rifle	Austria
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

Name	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

Name	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
FGM-148 Javelin	Man-portable anti-tank system	127 mm	United States	In November 2024 the US government approved the sale of the FGM-148 to Tunisia for $107.7 million, the deal includes 184 missiles and 30 Lightweight Command Launch Units (LWCLUs).
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	Unknown number. Seen in use during African lion 2024

Anti-aircraft weapons

Name	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

Name	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

Name	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

Name	Image	Type	Number	Origin	Notes
Armoured personnel carriers
VAB Armoured Personnel Carriers	File:54RA-IMG 9125.jpg Made by MACK Defence for Tunisian Army
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.
Otokar 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

Name	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

Name	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	Military museum 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

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

Former equipment

Artillery

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

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

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

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

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

Reconnaissance

20 Alvis Saladin 76 mm main gun 6×6 ARV (United Kingdom)

Planned equipment

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

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

https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/army-news/army-news-2024/us-supports-tunisias-military-modernization-through-strategic-javelin-anti-tank-missile-deal

[auto-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org.

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