More than 43,000 military radios: the United States is preparing a new contract, and Morocco is already part of the arrangement

The Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground launched a market survey on September 10 to prepare a future contract for the supply of radios, communications equipment and related services. Companies had until September 17 to respond, according to the notice published on SAM.gov.

The projected requirements are considerable: more than 16,300 portable radios, 10,900 systems transportable by a soldier, 10,900 radios mounted on vehicles and 5,500 configurations usable onboard and then carried into the field. The future contract is to cover a period of four and a half years.

On Bladi.net : Morocco US Military Center 2030 Drones Innovation Tan-Tan

These figures correspond to all the anticipated requirements under US military sales to several allied countries. However, the notice requires the future equipment to be fully compatible with the L3Harris radios currently in service. This continuity comes as the United States also wants to test its future military technologies in Morocco.

Morocco is among the customers of the current contract

The connection with the kingdom appears in the framework contract currently being used by the same US command. Referenced as W91CRB21D5003, it covers L3Harris high-frequency radios, their accessories, spare parts, training and services intended for Foreign Military Sales programs.

Federal data compiled by HigherGov explicitly cites Morocco among the beneficiary countries, alongside Spain, France, Tunisia, Nigeria and Poland, among others. Awarded in 2021, this contract now has a ceiling of 3.795 billion dollars and is due to expire in December 2026.

Morocco’s presence in this ecosystem goes back further. In 2016, the Pentagon awarded Harris Corporation a contract worth up to 405.5 million dollars under military sales to Morocco. It covered SINCGARS tactical radios, spare parts, installation kits, as well as training and field support, according to the US Department of Defense.

On Bladi.net : $42 million to prepare Moroccan pilots for future F-16s

The next contract is to replicate this architecture on a much larger scale, with portable radios, onboard systems, communications security equipment and operational support services.

The breakdown among the different countries is not yet known. But the requirement for compatibility with L3Harris equipment already deployed places Morocco among the partners likely to continue procuring through this US arrangement.