Morocco Drops $985 Million Plan to Upgrade 23 F-16s
Morocco is reportedly abandoning plans to upgrade its 23 existing F-16s to the Viper standard, despite a program approved by Washington in 2019. The information comes from Royal Moroccan Air Force sources interviewed by a specialist magazine at the Marrakech Airshow. Only safety upgrades are now planned.
This is a major change to Morocco’s military aviation modernization program. According to specialist magazine EDR Magazine, which gathered the information at the Marrakech Airshow, the Royal Moroccan Air Force is no longer planning to convert its 23 current F-16 Block 52+ aircraft to the F-16V standard.
On Bladi.net : 25 F-16s, 24 Apaches, 162 Abrams: behind the $12.7 billion announced for Morocco
In March 2019, Washington had approved a Moroccan request to upgrade the 23 fighter jets, at an estimated cost of $985.2 million. The program outlined by the U.S. agency DSCA included new AN/APG-83 AESA radars, modernized avionics and equipment intended to bring the older F-16s closer to the future aircraft ordered by Rabat.
According to a Royal Moroccan Air Force source quoted by EDR, the conversion is no longer being considered. The major work planned for the older fighters would be limited essentially to installing the automatic ground collision avoidance system, Auto-GCAS. This equipment can take control of the aircraft to prevent a crash, particularly if the pilot loses consciousness under the effects of acceleration.
25 new F-16s remain in the program
Morocco is continuing with the acquisition of 25 new F-16 Block 72s. The first aircraft, a two-seat F-16D bearing the number 8041, made its first flight on October 6 from Lockheed Martin’s factory in Greenville, United States. It is the first new aircraft of this version to take to the skies, equipped with a Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine.
These new fighters will feature, among other things, AN/APG-83 AESA radar and long-range air-to-air missiles. According to the military source interviewed by EDR, the arrival of these much more modern aircraft explains why the Royal Moroccan Air Force no longer considers a full upgrade of the F-16s currently in service worthwhile.
On Bladi.net : $42 million to prepare Moroccan pilots for future F-16s
The delivery schedule is also taking shape. According to information gathered by EDR at the Marrakech show, the first Block 72s could arrive in Morocco between late 2027 and early 2028. Two options have been raised for their assignment: replacing the Mirage F1s of the Sidi Slimane squadrons or joining Ben Guerir air base, where the F-16 Block 52+ aircraft are currently based. Under the second scenario, the older fighters could be transferred to Sidi Slimane.
