Military of Tunisia

Tunisia Armed Forces
Military manpower
Military age	20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)
Availability	"males age 20-49 :" 2,441,741 "females age 20-49 :" 2,406,362 (2005 est.)
Fit for military service	"males :" 2,035,431 "females :" 2,000,757 (2005 est.)
Reaching military age annually	"males :" 108,817 "females :" 103,087 (2005 est.)
Active troops	35,000 (Ranked 77th)
Military expenditures
Dollar figure	$356 million (FY99)
Percent of GDP	1.5% (FY99)

The Tunisian Armed Forces consist of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

As of 2002, Tunisia had an army of 27,000 personnel equipped with 84 main battle tanks and 54 light tanks. The navy numbered 4,500 operating 21 patrol boats and other craft. The air force had 3,500 personnel, 29 combat aircraft and 15 armed helicopters. Paramilitary forces consisted of a 12,000-member national guard. Tunisia has participated in peacekeeping efforts in the DROC and Ethiopia/Eritrea. [ [http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Tunisia-ARMED-FORCES.html Tunisia - Armed forces ] ] Previous United Nations peacekeeping deployments for the Tunisian armed forces have included Cambodia (UNTAC), Namibia (UNTAG), Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi and the 1960s mission in the Congo, ONUC.

Army Equipment

MBT::54x M-60A3:30x M-60A1

LIGHT TANK::54x SK-105 Kürassier

ARMOURED SCOUT::24x Alvis Saladin:45x AML-90

APC::140x M-113A1/A2:18x EE-11 Urutu:110x F-6614

IFV::100x M-901 ITV (with TOW)

ARTILLERY::48x 105 mm M-101A1/A2:12x 155 mm M-114A1:57x 155 mm M-198

GRENADE LAUNCHER::95x 81 mm:78x 107 mm 4,2 in :18x 120 mm Brandt

ANTI-TANK RECOILLES::300x 89 mm LRAC-89:140x 57 mm M-18:300x 8,9 mm 3.5 in M-20:70x 106 mm M-40A1

ANTI-TANK MISSILES::65x BGM-71 TOW:500x MILAN

ANTI-AIR::100x 20 mm M-55:15x 37 mm Typ-55/-65

ANTI-AIR MISSILES::48x RBS-70:25x MIM-72 Chaparral

RADARS::?x "Rasit"

Defense Production
Naval Craft:20 Meter patrol craft, with assistance from South Korea

Nuclear capability
No known nuclear activity. Signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

France And Tunisia Sign Accord On Civil Nuclear Cooperation []

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, sealed a civil nuclear deal with his Tunisian counterpart Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

The deal would be similar to the one endorsed with Algeria, Morocco, and Libya and would provide for the training of engineers and the promotion of nuclear energy for civilian purposes.

Under the deal, France could help Tunisia develop a nuclear power plant and offers the possibility of France delivering one or more nuclear reactors within the next 15 to 20 years.

In addition to these issues, the French president is also plans to seal various other deals to maintain its position as Tunisia's top trade partner. Discussions are on to promote the sales of Airbus planes to Tunis air and inclusion of French heavy engineering firm Alstom in a power plant construction project.

Chemical weapons and protective equipment
No known CW activities. Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)

Biological weapons
No known BW activities. Party to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)

References and links

* [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ts.html#Military The CIA World Factbook]
* [http://www.tau.ac.il/jcss/balance/Tunisia.pdf Tunisia.pdf]
* http://www.wri-irg.org/co/rtba/tunisia.htm
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