The military overhaul that is transforming the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces
- Morocco's military modernisation vis-à-vis Algeria
- Current military capacity
- African Lion consolidates Morocco's strategic role
- Modernisation of the Moroccan Air Force
- Drones and their impact on the current conflict
- Air defence and interception systems
- Royal Navy and maritime border control
Morocco's military modernisation vis-à-vis Algeria
The increase in insecurity at the global level has led Morocco to further increase the modernisation of its Royal Armed Forces, also to compete with Algeria's huge military spending, the largest in the entire African continent. To this end, the support of the US military arsenal and the granting of Israeli technology are proving key.
The African country is not only increasing its capacity in terms of quantity, but is also developing state-of-the-art bases which, together with the implementation of compulsory military service, form a tandem of growth and development that is positioning Morocco as a player to be reckoned with on the international stage.
Current military capacity
At present, together with the United States Forces, the FAR are conducting the continent's most important annual defence and security manoeuvres: African Lion.
This time, the FAR has some 235,000 active military personnel and 250,000 reservists, with 88% in the Army. Likewise, in recent months, the Moroccan security forces have renewed a large part of their arsenal.
In terms of armoured vehicles, Morocco has gone from having more than a thousand M113s to Abrams tanks; 222 M1A1 SA and 162 M1A2 SEP v3 tanks; 50 Chinese and Pakistani VT-1A armoured vehicles; 50 American M-ATVs; and 200 Turkish Cobra IIs.
However, this arsenal would not be as significant if it did not have the support of missile launchers. In this area, Morocco has more than 612 Javelin missiles, 200 launchers, 600 FIM-92K Stingers, 36 Atmos 2000, 12 PHL-03 AR, some 36 Weishi WS-2D, and is awaiting approval to receive 18 HIMARS with ATACMS missiles, currently used in the war between Russia and Ukraine, in the fight against drug trafficking in the Caribbean, and by Israel in the conflict against Hamas and Iranian proxies residing in the region.
African Lion consolidates Morocco's strategic role
Once again, the United States and Morocco have launched the most important manoeuvres on the African continent, co-organised by United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, between 8 and 12 December in Agadir. In previous editions, African Lion brought together more than 10,000 soldiers from armies from most African countries and several NATO allies.
However, unlike other years, in addition to conducting land, sea and air manoeuvres, the evolution of conflicts has led these manoeuvres to integrate cyber defence missions and scenarios known as NRBQ (nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical). This time, the manoeuvres will take place in regions such as Agadir, Tan-Tan, Kenitra, Benguerir, Tiznit and Tifnit.
Modernisation of the Moroccan Air Force
The development of sixth-generation fighter jets is forcing countries around the world to decide between purchasing Russian or American fighter jets. The great advance of these new aircraft has left armies around the world with no choice but to purchase them.
This is where the Moroccan Air Force is continuing the modernisation process that began in 2019. First, 23 F-16 fighter jets were purchased, followed by 25 F-16 Block 70/72s. However, these 48 fighters could be joined by the Mirage 2000-9E from the United Arab Emirates, presented at the last Dubai Air Show, in a context where the arrival of the F-35s seems to be becoming more complicated. In addition to the fighters, the Air Force has 24 Apache AH-64Es, the most modern and effective on the market.
Drones and their impact on the current conflict
However, if there is one element that is revolutionising warfare in this century, it is drones. Used for all kinds of missions, these unmanned devices have completely changed the understanding of armed conflict. Through artificial intelligence, drones are capable of performing almost any task they are programmed to do.
In this regard, Morocco has more than 230, making it the African country with the second largest arsenal of drones on the continent. Of the total, most are Turkish models such as the Bayraktar TB2 and the Akinci, one of the most efficient, along with Iranian-technology Shahed drones used in the war between Ukraine and Russia. The rest of the arsenal consists of Israeli drones such as the Heron, Harop and Hermes 900, and Chinese drones such as the Wing Loong I and the TB-001.
In the case of the Bayraktar TB2, their use has been demonstrated on the southern border with Mali and Algeria, where Morocco has been forced to use them to defend its territory. These actions were corroborated by the Sahrawi Movement for Peace, which thanked Morocco for its defence.
Air defence and interception systems
On the other hand, in terms of defence, Morocco has 24 Sky Dragon 50 batteries and four Chinese FD-2000Bs, as well as Israeli systems such as Skylock Dome and Barak MX, and the Ukrainian Bukovel AD. These mechanisms are essential given the growing importance of drones and missiles, especially the Russian Iskander-E missiles possessed by Algeria and launched by its Su-57 fighter jets.
Royal Navy and maritime border control
In addition to land and air defence, control of the maritime borders is essential. To this end, the Royal Navy, which has more than 12,000 personnel, has the smallest share of the budget, although it has improved its efficiency and increased its training manoeuvres. In terms of procurement, the Navy has acquired the Avante 1800 patrol boat from the Spanish company Navantia in 2025.
The Navy's flagship is the FREMM Mohammed VI frigate. This vessel, the most advanced in the entire fleet, is equipped with long-range anti-aircraft defences, anti-submarine capabilities, and modern Israeli radar detection systems.