Morocco’s Abrams Tank Upgrade Faces Delays: Budget and Pandemic Cited

Where is the contract signed in 2018 for the purchase of 162 Abrams tanks to be modernized, plus 10 other units to be used as spare parts and for training? The acquisition must be finalized. According to Abdelhamid Harifi, a defense analyst, Morocco has reserved these tanks, but the acquisition process remains pending due to several factors, including financial constraints and the Covid-19 pandemic, reports Médias24. He said the kingdom has not yet activated the modernization of these reserved tanks. It is also difficult for Morocco to explore other options to strengthen its tank fleet, such as the purchase of T72-M tanks to be modernized in the Czech Republic or Merkava Mk3 tanks from Israel, due to geopolitical complications, particularly the war in Ukraine and tensions around Gaza, which have immobilized the available resources, the expert further stated.

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The modernization of the tanks to the M1A2 standard is stagnating. According to Harifi, there is no evidence that the Moroccan tanks will be modernized to this standard. While the 2018 DSCA notification of the purchase mentioned several modernization possibilities, including the M1A1 Situational Awareness or the M1A2, the final choice has not yet been made, the expert further states. As for the modernization of the Moroccan tanks immobilized to the M1A2 SepV3 standard initiated since 2018 as part of the EDA program, it requires a new notification to the US Congress due to an additional cost, as the SEP V3 is a highly evolved standard with advanced technologies. If Morocco still attaches importance to strengthening its tank fleet on the front line, it could decide to postpone this purchase, due to significant financial commitments, particularly those related to the organization of the World Cup, Harifi estimates. The kingdom could also postpone the modernization of the Abrams tanks by a few weeks.

In 2016, Morocco welcomed 127 M1A1 SA tanks, and the remaining 73 were modernized in 2018 according to the M1A2M standard, integrating new technologies such as an independent thermal vision for the commander. The new M1A2 SEPv3 tanks were designed to meet the size, weight and power (SWaP) challenges encountered with previous versions. They feature innovations such as a new electronic architecture, simplified maintenance procedures and an improved auxiliary power unit. The M1A2 SEPv3 is equipped with reinforced frontal armor and a data link for the firing of smart projectiles, positioning itself as the future front-line tank of the US Army.