Yesterday, Tuesday, the two Arab nations signed a defense cooperation agreement to enhance military coordination between them, according to a statement from the Tunisian Ministry of Defense. The agreement was signed during the visit of Tunisian Defense Minister Khaled Al-Suhaili to Algeria. This highlights the military capabilities of the two countries’ armies, as indicated by statistics from the American site ‘Global Firepower’ for 2025. It ranks among the top 21 armies in the world in terms of military spending and possesses a massive manpower of 610,000 personnel, including active, reserve, and paramilitary forces.
Regarding military equipment, the Algerian army possesses 608 warplanes, making its air force the 17th largest in the world, including 102 fighters, 42 attack aircraft, 63 fixed-wing transport aircraft, 87 training aircraft, 10 special mission aircraft, 5 refueling aircraft, and 299 helicopters, including 74 attack helicopters. Algeria has a tank force of 1,485 tanks, ranking it 11th globally, with 26,000 military vehicles, 224 self-propelled artillery, 483 towed artillery, and 266 rocket launchers.
The Algerian naval fleet ranks 32nd globally with 110 naval units, including 8 frigates, 8 corvettes, 6 submarines, 75 patrol ships, and 2 mine-sweeping vessels. Tunisia’s defense budget ranks 79th globally at $1.4 billion, with a manpower size of approximately 102,000 personnel, including about 90,000 active forces and 12,000 paramilitary forces.
Tunisia’s air force ranks 54th globally with 154 warplanes, including 11 fixed-wing military transport aircraft, 28 training aircraft, 29 special mission aircraft, and 101 helicopters. The Tunisian tank force ranks 70th globally with 90 tanks, while its artillery comprises 85 artillery pieces. The Tunisian naval fleet ranks 47th globally with 58 naval units, including 51 patrol ships.
Tunisian Defense Minister Khaled Al-Suhaili met with Major General Said Chengriha, Chief of Staff of the People’s National Army, to discuss military prospects and ways to develop them, focusing on confronting common security challenges. Major General Chengriha appreciated the distinguished relations between the two countries, stressing the importance of the defense agreement in advancing strategic partnership and enhancing the operational capabilities of both armies.
The new agreement includes areas of formation, training, information exchange, and field coordination, complementing the agreement signed in 2001.
