Morocco Set to Acquire Advanced F-35 Fighters in $17 Billion Deal

"The Congress, controlled by the Republicans, is about to approve, in the coming weeks, a plan to sell Morocco a squadron of these combat aircraft, considered the most powerful and modern in the world."

The purchase of these American combat aircraft will be "a great added value for the Moroccan army, following the royal instructions to modernize the army and its equipment, as part of the activation of the role of the Kingdom of Morocco in establishing peace and stability in the region, which is part of the Abraham peace agreement that brought together Morocco, the United States and Israel," it is specified.

The F-35 is a stealthy aircraft capable of detecting ground and air targets using high-precision laser technology. It can take off and land vertically and is equipped with a state-of-the-art communication system.

Morocco will be the only country in Africa and the Arab world to acquire these cutting-edge aircraft. The cost of the order is estimated at $17 billion and includes the purchase and maintenance of a fleet of 32 F-35 fighters over 45 years. With this acquisition, the Moroccan army will become the most powerful on the continent, ahead of Egypt’s with its F-16s and Algeria’s with its Russian Sukhoi aircraft, known for their poor maneuverability and frequent crashes.