US confirms sale of 4 AT-6 Wolverine light attack aircraft to Tunisia
February 2020 news defense aviation aerospace air force industry
The U.S. State Department has approved a possible sale of four AT-6C Wolverine Light Attack Aircraft and related equipment, worth $325.8 million, to Tunisia under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this sale on February 25 2020.
Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine light attack aircraft (Picture source: Textron Aviation)
According to DSCA, the government of Tunisia as asked to buy four Wolverine aircraft along with a variety supporting equipment, including but not limited to 312 MAU-169 computer control groups, 468 MK81 250 LB GP bombs and 3,290 advanced precision kill weapon systems -- as well as bomb components and practice bombs.
"The proposed sale will improve Tunisia's ability to meet current and future threats by increasing their capability and capacity to counter-terrorism and other violent extremist organization threats," said the DSCA's announcement.
The proposed sale includes gravity and guided munitions, including 468 Mark 81 250-lb bombs, 48 500-lb Mark 82 bombs, Paveway II laser guidance units, 3,290 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) laser guidance units for 2.75-inch rockets, six .50 calibre machine guns, and six L-3 WESCAM MX 15D Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems.
The Beechcraft Wolverine is a multi-role, multi-mission aircraft system designed to meet the spectrum of needs for the light attack mission. Leveraging a range of highly-specialized, but off-the-shelf capabilities, the Wolverine is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment such as Pratt and Whitney PT6A-68D engine, CMC Esterline's mission modified Cockpit 4000, Lockheed Martin's A-10C-based mission system and L-3 WESCAM's MX-15Di sensor suite.