Morocco Poised to Acquire 32 F-35 Stealth Fighters in $17 Billion Deal

Donald Trump’s return to the White House could accelerate Morocco’s acquisition process of 32 F-35 aircraft from Lockheed Martin for about $17 billion, which had been suspended since his first term, according to IDEX sources, specifying that this contract, spread over 45 years, also includes maintenance costs.

With these fifth-generation fighters, capable of detecting ground and air targets using high-precision laser technology, the Moroccan air force would outclass its rivals in the region, Algeria in particular. Morocco had ordered 24 F-16C/D Block 72 from Lockheed Martin (20 F-16C and 4 F-16D) in August 2020, equipped with Pratt & Whitney F100-229 engines. The Royal Air Forces should receive these aircraft this year.

Moroccan F-16s are also being upgraded to the more advanced F-16V version, equipped with the Northrop Grumman APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, the Lockheed Martin AN/AAQ-33 Sniper targeting pod, Terma AN/ALQ-213 electronic warfare management systems, and the L3Harris AN/ALQ-211 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare System (AIDEWS). Morocco has also purchased two new Gulfstream 550 ISR aircraft, with integrated L3 and Israeli Elta systems.

This build-up of the Moroccan air force is causing concern in Algeria, which has ordered a Russian fifth-generation fighter, the Sukhoi Su-57, which is no match for the Moroccan F-35s expected to be delivered by 2035.