# Textron to support Tunisia’s T-6C Texan II trainers

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2021/06/textron-to-support-tunisias-t-6c-texan-ii-trainers/
- Published: 2021-06-17T07:38:31+01:00
- Author: Darek Liam

Tunisia will receive eight T-6C Texan II training aircraft in 2022 and Textron Aviation
Defense is providing long-lead items to support the aircraft.

Earlier in June, the US Department of Defense (DoD) awarded Textron USD12.5 million
related to Tunisia’s T-6C Texan II programme.

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The Foreign Military Sales (FMS) award provides for the procurement of long-lead
production items and spares to support delivery of eight T-6Cs to the North African
nation in 2022, as well as conducting an in-country site survey for basing.

Work on a $12.49 million FMS contract, awarded by the Air Force Life Cycle Management
Center, will be performed in Wichita, Kansas and is expected to be completed by 
October 2022.

Tunisia is in [dire need of new trainer aircraft to replace its ageing fleet](https://www.military.africa/2021/06/textron-to-support-tunisias-t-6c-texan-ii-trainers/military.africa/2020/12/tunisian-air-force-modernization-plans-frustrated-by-us-delays)
and allow it to continue training pilots to support counter-terrorism and border
security missions.

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 military.africa/2019/10/tunisia-requests-sale-of-twelve-t-6c-texan-aircraft-from-
us

This contract comes about 19 months after the US State Department [approved the sale of up to 12 Texan II trainer aircraft to Tunisia ](https://www.military.africa/2021/06/textron-to-support-tunisias-t-6c-texan-ii-trainers/military.africa/2019/10/tunisia-requests-sale-of-twelve-t-6c-texan-aircraft-from-us)
for an estimated USD234 million. “The proposed sale will replace Tunisia’s ageing
trainer fleet and allow Tunisia to continue training pilots to support Tunisia’s
counter-terrorism and border security missions,” the US Defense Security Cooperation
Agency said in October 2019.

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Besides the T-6C trainer approval, the US government also [approved four AT-6 Wolverine light attack versions](https://www.military.africa/2021/06/textron-to-support-tunisias-t-6c-texan-ii-trainers/military.africa/2020/03/tunisia-all-set-to-buy-four-at-6c-wolverine-light-attack-aircraft)
of the aircraft for Tunisia in February 2020 .

Both the T-6C and AT-6 share an 85% commonality in structure, avionics, and other
systems, and are expected to replace the Tunisian Air Force’s (Al‐Quwwat al‐Jawwiya
al‐Jamahiriyah At’Tunisia) fleet of Aero L-39 Albatros and SIAI-Marchetti SF 260
Warrior aircraft that have been in service since 1995 and 1974 respectively.

 military.africa/2020/12/tunisian-air-force-modernization-plans-frustrated-by-us-
delays

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