Morocco’s F-16 Acquisition Sparks Regional Air Force Modernization Race

Morocco wants to acquire these American F-16 Block 70/72 to significantly increase the capability of its air force. Meanwhile, Spain has ordered 45 new Eurofighter Tranche 4 fighters from Airbus. Between these two latest generation fighters, equipped with advanced radar and protection systems, which is the most powerful?

The Spanish newspaper La Razón made a comparison of the two aircraft. According to the publication, the Eurofighter Tranche 4, the latest version of this fighter model developed by Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo, has two powerful Eurojet EJ200 engines and the ESCAN MK1 AESA radar, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, which allows better responsiveness in air-to-air combat and ground attack missions.

As for the F-16 Block 70/72, it has the AN/APG-83 radar, a state-of-the-art AESA radar with advanced detection and tracking capabilities, as well as the Viper Shield, a complete protection system that includes electronic and physical countermeasures. It can be used for various missions and combat scenarios.

The only difference with the Eurofighter Tranche 4 is in terms of cost-effectiveness: the purchase of the F-16 Block and its maintenance are less expensive than those of the Eurofighter, analyzes the Spanish media, which concludes that the Eurofighter stands out for its cutting-edge technology and superior capabilities in a direct confrontation, making this aircraft the most complete fighter between the two.