Tunisia Will Buy More 65-Foot Archangel Patrol Boats From The U.S.
The U.S. Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced that the U.S. State Department has decided to approve a foreign military sale to the Tunisian government for 65-foot SAFE Archangel Boats and related equipment, estimated to be worth $110 million. According to the agency, the required certification and related documents announcing the potential sale were delivered to the U.S. Congress on 20 August 2024.
Tunisia’s new request covers various services to be added to a previously implemented case. The original FMS case, valued at $49.3 million, included non-Major Defense Equipment (MDE) 65-foot SAFE Archangel boats and non-MDE articles and services, consisting of commercial variant marine global positioning systems, navigation systems, communications equipment, training, and other related elements of logistical and program support. The current sale will expand this initiative, helping Tunisia to improve maritime security and counter challenges such as irregular migration and smuggling.
The contractor for the contract will be SAFE Boats International of Bremerton, Washington. In addition, no U.S. government or contractor representatives will be required to travel to Tunisia to successfully execute the sale.
The DSCA states, “This proposed sale will support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by helping to improve the security of a major non-NATO ally that continues to play an important role in regional security and Peacekeeping Operations throughout Africa.” The agency also stated that the sale of such equipment and services would not change the basic military balance in the region
The Tunisian Navy already uses 65-foot SAFE boats for maritime operations such as patrol, intervention, transport, and search and rescue and would, therefore, have no difficulty incorporating the new equipment into its armed forces if Congress does not oppose the State Department’s decision within 30 days. Given the financial support provided by the United States since 2009 to help Tunisia improve its maritime security and the sale of more than 20 different sizes of intervention boats, the current FMS dossier is unlikely to get stuck in Congress.