Morocco continues to reinforce its army with US weapons
The US Department of Defense has announced that US military and aerospace weapons and equipment manufacturer Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract to produce and supply Morocco with ATACMS long-range guided missiles, used on the HIMARS missile launcher.
"The contract is worth approximately 227 million dollars and includes Morocco along with a number of other countries. This agreement falls under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system for fiscal year 2024 and is expected to be completed in 2028," the statement said.
This deal will enhance Morocco's defence capabilities, as the HIMARS missile launchers provide high firepower and high accuracy, enabling the Royal Armed Forces to effectively deter any potential threat.
The strikes operate with a long-range, high-accuracy (ground-to-surface) system and are primarily directed through missile launchers. Among them is the HIMARS system that the US agreed to sell to Morocco last year.
Hisham Moataded, an academic and expert in international relations, explains to Al-Arab that this agreement "falls within the framework of the strategic partnership between Rabat and Washington in the field of military, defence and security cooperation, as well as the Kingdom's plan to develop military and security capabilities".
It will also "contribute to strengthening their strategic position in the region, reflecting the common interest in increasing security and stability in the region".
"This agreement will strengthen the deterrence capabilities of the Royal Armed Forces with this type of weapon in integration with all land, air and naval forces," said Moatadid, who stressed that "Moroccan forces are committed to strengthening military tactics in order to defend Moroccan sovereignty.
Moatadid stressed that "the technical modernisation and professional development of the Moroccan defence sector are in line with Rabat's strategic vision in managing its geopolitical balances, and are reinforced by military cooperation between Rabat and Washington".
This partnership, according to the analyst, is an important boost to Morocco's defence arsenal and contributes not only to modernising the mechanisms of its military equipment, but also to supporting the Kingdom in establishing the basic components of its military industries at the local level".
The extensive military cooperation between Washington and Rabat has been strengthened in recent years through numerous agreements and memoranda of understanding. Moreover, within the framework of this bilateral cooperation, the two countries have for years jointly conducted African Lion exercises with the participation of other international militaries.
On the occasion of US Intendancy Day, Morocco's King Mohammed VI sent a message to President Joe Biden in which he underlined "the Kingdom's willingness to continue working together to advance the consolidation of the distinguished bilateral relations and to move the multi-faceted strategic partnership to higher levels that respond to the ambitions and aspirations of our two friendly peoples".
In addition to the recent ATACMS missile agreement, the US Department of Defence officially gave Lockheed Martin the green light to begin production of the "Fiber Shield" electronic warfare system for the Royal Air Force's modern 70/72 F-16 Block fighters, to "provide US allies with advanced support against evolving and changing threats".
According to Lockheed Martin, this system has the capability to provide "a virtual electronic shield around the aircraft that enables fighter pilots to complete missions safely and securely in all increasingly complex battlefield scenarios".