Morocco radar detection American equipment F-16 upgrade

The Pentagon has awarded Northrop Grumman a new $42 million contract amendment covering the manufacturing, assembly, testing and delivery of AN/APR-39D(V)2 systems. Part of the equipment produced is expressly intended for Morocco.

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The Moroccan order includes a processor, four antenna detectors, two radar receivers, a low-frequency network as well as a battery pack. Work must be completed by December 2029, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Morocco is not, however, financing the entire amendment. It primarily concerns the needs of the American Navy, which will notably receive 29 processors, 112 antenna detectors and 84 radar receivers. An amount of $1.33 million from the American Foreign Military Sales mechanism, or FMS, is committed to this new phase.

Seeing the missile coming

The AN/APR-39D(V)2 is a digital radar warning receiver designed to enhance aircraft protection. It detects radio frequency signals emitted by hostile systems, identifies their direction and alerts the crew when an enemy radar targets the aircraft.

The detected threats can come from surface-to-air missiles, interceptor aircraft or anti-aircraft artillery pieces. Information is transmitted to pilots through visual and audio alerts, allowing them to adjust their trajectory or trigger countermeasures.

Morocco had already been integrated into the program in September 2023, when the initial $72.8 million contract provided for engineering work to convert a processor intended for the Kingdom. With the new amendment, the total contract value now exceeds $114.8 million.

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The Pentagon indicates that the equipment is intended for different types of aircraft, without specifying which Moroccan aircraft they will be installed on. The AN/APR-39D(V)2 is notably compatible with the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter, which Morocco has begun to acquire, but this assignment is not confirmed in the contract.