Soldiers from 1-57 ADA operate the Avenger Air Defense System with FIM-92 Stinger during African Lion 2025 in Tunisia, April 25, 2025. (DVIDS)
The US Army has previously deployed the Avenger air defense system to North Africa for the first time, marking a significant step in regional force readiness and joint air defense capabilities. The deployment took place at Ben Ghilouf Training Center in Tunisia last April 25 as part of the ongoing African Lion 2025 (AL25) multinational military exercise.
The 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, under the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, led the mission. This event also marks the first time the Avenger system has participated in the African Lion exercise, a key US-led training initiative on the continent.
What Is the Avenger System?
The Avenger AN/TWQ-1, developed by Boeing in the 1980s, is a short-range mobile air defense system designed to protect ground forces from low-altitude threats, including drones, helicopters, cruise missiles, and light aircraft.
Mounted on a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), the system carries eight ready-to-fire FIM-92 Stinger missiles and a 12.7mm M3P machine gun for self-defense. It is capable of engaging targets on the move at speeds up to 35 km/h (about 22 mph) and reaching maximum road speeds of 105 km/h (29 mph), allowing rapid deployment and repositioning.
Technologically, the Avenger features:
Infrared and optical sensors
Identification Friend-or-Foe (IFF) systems
Integration with the Forward Area Air Defense Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (FAAD C3I) system
Slew-to-Cue targeting, which enables semi-automated engagement based on external cueing
The system’s modular design, network compatibility, and high mobility make it a vital tool for tactical air defense in fast-moving or remote operations.
Soldiers operate the Avenger Air Defense System at Ben Ghilouf Training Area, Tunisia, April 25, 2025. (DVIDS)
Strategic Significance of the Deployment
The deployment to Tunisia is more than symbolic. It showcases the US Army’s ability to project integrated air defense capabilities into austere, contested environments.
Traditionally used in Europe and Asia, the Avenger’s presence in Africa underscores a growing focus on countering low-altitude threats, particularly armed drones, which have proliferated across the continent in both state and non-state actor arsenals.
The US Army has previously deployed the Avenger air defense system to North Africa for the first time, marking a significant step in regional force readiness and joint air defense capabilities. The deployment took place at Ben Ghilouf Training Center in Tunisia last April 25 as part of the ongoing African Lion 2025 (AL25) multinational military exercise.
The 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, under the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, led the mission. This event also marks the first time the Avenger system has participated in the African Lion exercise, a key US-led training initiative on the continent.
What Is the Avenger System?
The Avenger AN/TWQ-1, developed by Boeing in the 1980s, is a short-range mobile air defense system designed to protect ground forces from low-altitude threats, including drones, helicopters, cruise missiles, and light aircraft.
Mounted on a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), the system carries eight ready-to-fire FIM-92 Stinger missiles and a 12.7mm M3P machine gun for self-defense. It is capable of engaging targets on the move at speeds up to 35 km/h (about 22 mph) and reaching maximum road speeds of 105 km/h (29 mph), allowing rapid deployment and repositioning.
Technologically, the Avenger features:
Infrared and optical sensors
Identification Friend-or-Foe (IFF) systems
Integration with the Forward Area Air Defense Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (FAAD C3I) system
Slew-to-Cue targeting, which enables semi-automated engagement based on external cueing
The system’s modular design, network compatibility, and high mobility make it a vital tool for tactical air defense in fast-moving or remote operations.
Soldiers operate the Avenger Air Defense System at Ben Ghilouf Training Area, Tunisia, April 25, 2025. (DVIDS)
Strategic Significance of the Deployment
The deployment to Tunisia is more than symbolic. It showcases the US Army’s ability to project integrated air defense capabilities into austere, contested environments.
Traditionally used in Europe and Asia, the Avenger’s presence in Africa underscores a growing focus on countering low-altitude threats, particularly armed drones, which have proliferated across the continent in both state and non-state actor arsenals.
None of the four host nations in African Lion 2025—Tunisia, Morocco, Ghana, or Senegal—currently fields a comparable short-range air defense system.
Tunisia primarily operates S-125 Pechora and RBS-70 systems, while Morocco relies on Chinese HQ-9 and Israeli Barak MX platforms. Ghana and Senegal maintain limited air defense capabilities, making the US demonstration even more significant.
The Avenger’s mobility, cost-efficiency, and combat-proven reliability offer an attractive solution for African nations looking to bolster their air defense without investing in heavier, more complex systems.
The deployment serves as both a strategic showcase and a soft-power maneuver, reinforcing US defense ties in a region increasingly targeted by Chinese and Russian military partnerships.
African Lion 2025: The Broader Context
African Lion 2025 (AL25) runs from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia, involving over 10,000 troops from 40+ countries, including seven NATO allies.
The exercise, led by the US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), emphasizes joint force interoperability, multi-domain operations, and rapid deployment capabilities in diverse and rugged environments.
The Avenger’s successful integration and live-fire demonstration during AL25 reinforce its value in modern, coalition-based warfare.
The Avenger’s debut deployment in Africa signals a critical evolution in US air defense posture on the continent. It highlights the increasing importance of short-range, mobile air defense systems in addressing emerging aerial threats and serves as a strategic overture to regional partners facing capability gaps. In an era of accelerating drone warfare and hybrid conflict, this move places the US one step ahead in the African theater.
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