French Submarines for Morocco: Naval Group’s Mediterranean Strategy

France’s defense industry, led by Naval Group, has launched a major lobbying campaign in Rabat to regain ground in the Moroccan arms market. According to information from Africa Intelligence, this offensive aims to outpace the Spanish offer from Navantia, which is proposing its S-80-class submarines, as well as that of Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. France is counting on the «Scorpène» model, recognized for its technological stealth and operational capabilities, to equip the Moroccan Royal Navy.

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To support this effort, Paris has significantly strengthened its diplomatic apparatus in Morocco. This momentum led to the recent appointment of a defense attaché in Rabat, following in-depth bilateral strategic dialogue. At the same time, an «arms committee» was established last July at the initiative of France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA). Its mission is to stimulate industrial cooperation between the two countries, with an emphasis on developing Morocco’s defense industrial and technological base (BITD).

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These maneuvers reflect Rabat’s desire to modernize its naval capabilities to ensure the security of the Western Mediterranean and the Strait of Gibraltar. In this highly strategic regional context, Morocco is seeking to achieve underwater superiority, an ambition that encourages long-term investment and the structured defense solutions proposed by French diplomats and industrial leaders.