Morocco Races to Acquire Submarines, Bolstering Naval Defense Against Regional Threats

Morocco has strengthened and modernized its army over the past decade, acquiring modernized F-16 fighters and Abrams battle tanks from the United States, and combat drones from Israel, Turkey and China, not to mention defense systems and spy satellites. Despite all these efforts, Morocco has a gap in its Royal Navy: it does not have a submarine.

The kingdom has three corvettes, a French FREMM frigate and has built a naval base in the city of Ksar Sghir. But it has no submarine. Its efforts to acquire this vessel in recent years have not yet borne fruit. Morocco had expressed interest in the Russian Amur-class submarine, a 5th generation vessel. In 2017, it had started negotiations with the Greek navy to purchase some of its submarines. But these initiatives did not prosper.

The need for Morocco to equip itself with a submarine is felt more and more, says El Confidencial Digital, referring to Algeria’s recent order for two new Russian 636M "Kilo" class submarines, one of the world’s quietest diesel submarines, which will add to the four submarines already in the Algerian navy.

The Spanish media indicates that the Spanish navy also has a submarine and is awaiting another to ensure optimal surveillance of the coastline, the strait and the Alboran Sea, noting that Morocco does not match the naval power in the strait. This is why the acquisition of a submarine has become a priority for Morocco, which is aware that it must rearm itself to ward off any potential threat from its eternal rival, Algeria.