Morocco’s Defense Budget Hits Record $11.3 Billion for 2024, Boosting Military Capabilities

The annual analysis of the evolution of the military capabilities of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) by the magazine specialized in defense and security, Defensa, shows that Morocco has strengthened its defense capabilities in 2023 and will continue to strengthen its arsenal in 2024. With a record budget of 124.7 billion dirhams (11.3 billion euros) for 2024, Morocco "will continue the process of acquiring and repairing FAR equipment, as well as the strategy of promoting the development of its national defense industry," comments the Spanish review.

What weapons has the Moroccan army acquired? Defensa recalls that Morocco has acquired 18 HIMARS missile launchers, ammunition, is about to receive the Israeli PULS rocket launcher and has received other types of weapon systems from Israel, thus becoming the first customer of the stealthy drone SpyX, with an operational range of 50 km developed by BlueBird, but also the first battery of the long-range air defense system Barak MX, from the Israeli company IAI.

In 2023, the fleet of the Royal Moroccan Air Force has expanded with the acquisition of 24 "Apache" helicopters to strengthen the country’s surveillance and attack capabilities against potential threats against Moroccan territory; the Israeli drone, "SpyX", spotted in the Moroccan desert, alongside the Turkish "Akinci", the Chinese drone "Wing Loong 2", etc. In the space sector, Defensa recalls that the Israeli group IAI has been chosen to provide a new observation satellite, which should replace the "Mohammed VI-A" satellite, launched in 2017 and now at the end of its operational life. Morocco also intends to acquire a coastal anti-missile defense system.

Recalling that Morocco benefits from an American grant of $10 million, which includes the supply of 500 military vehicles under the Surplus Defence Articles (EDA) program, the Spanish review stresses that "this initiative is part of the American efforts to continue to support this Maghreb country, to strengthen its defense capabilities and to improve its response to potential threats".