Morocco’s F-16 Fleet Gets $41 Million Cyber Upgrade in Elite US Defense Deal

According to a Pentagon document, "this contract provides the F-16 Program Office with a broad range of professional acquisition, engineering, science, research, testing, intelligence, security management, and administrative capabilities to implement effective and responsive cyber resilience for research, development, acquisition, and sustainment throughout the lifecycle, as needed."

Morocco is part of the restricted circle of 16 countries that own American F16s and will benefit from this upgrade. Other countries on this list include Pakistan, Iraq, Oman, South Korea, Bahrain, Taiwan, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Singapore, Greece, Jordan, Indonesia, Chile, Argentina, and Turkey, reports Médias 24. This upgrade will be completed by January 31, 2026. The work will be carried out at the Wright Patterson (Ohio), Hill (Utah), Davis Monthan (Arizona), Eglin (Florida) and Tyndall (Florida) air bases, according to the US Department of State.

The acquisition contract for the F-16s by the Royal Air Force includes "operational maintenance" (MCO) of these fighter jets. This mechanism marks "a fundamental break with traditional acquisition models," says military consultant Abdelhamid Harifi, adding that "whenever a flaw, whether technical or structural, is identified on an F-16 anywhere in the world, the information is immediately shared and the fixes are applied to all partner fleets."

The contract also includes cyber defense, which allows Morocco to effectively address new cyber threats, a "pillar of sovereignty and air superiority," according to Harifi. Through this contract, Morocco ensures that its F-16s are always operational and effective in the face of current challenges.