TSAMTO, June 23. Textron Aviation Defense is entering into a contract for the supply of T-6C Texan training aircraft for the Tunisian Air Force under the Foreign Military Sales program.
The US Department of Defense has announced that the US Air Force Command has signed a $ 12.5 million contract with Textron Aviation Defense to purchase long-term components for the assembly of eight T-6C aircraft in 2022 for the Tunisian Air Force.
The work will be performed at the plant in Wichita (PC.Kansas). The completion date for the program is October 2022. At the signing of the agreement, the contractor was transferred $ 6,248 million, received from the funds under the "Foreign Military Sales" program.
As reported by TSAMTO, in October 2019, the US State Department approved the potential delivery to Tunisia under the "Foreign Military Sales" program of 12 T-6C Texan training aircraft, spare engines, spare parts, as well as other related equipment and services. The full value of the agreement may amount to $ 234 million.
Presumably, the long time from the moment of obtaining the permit to the conclusion of the contract is due to the limited financial resources at the disposal of the Tunisian Ministry of Defense.
In addition, in February 2020, the US State Department approved the delivery of 4 AT-6C Volverin light attack aircraft, weapons, related equipment and services to Tunisia for up to $ 325.8 million.
As planned, the new aircraft will replace the L-39 "Albatross" and SF-260 Warrior, which have been in service with the Tunisian Air Force since 1995 and 1974, respectively. The degree of unification of T-6C and AT-6C is about 85%.
Tunisia urgently needs to strengthen its security forces to counter the terrorist threat. The purchase of the T-6C and possibly the AT-6C is part of a broader package of aircraft that the US is supplying to Tunisia. It also includes the modernization of Tiger-2 fighters, the delivery of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and Scanagle UAVs.
