Morocco Weighs Submarine Acquisition Offers from European Nations and Russia

For now, France and Germany are competing for this market of building two submarines for Morocco. The French Naval Group is proposing two Scorpène submarines to the Moroccan navy, while the German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems is making an offer of two HDW Class Dolphin AIP or HDW Class 209/1400 submarines, according to Info Defensa.

The Scorpène is a 2,000-ton conventional-powered submarine dedicated to surface or submarine attack missions, intelligence gathering or special operations, details its designer. The submarine can accommodate 18 projectiles, including torpedoes and missiles. According to the Russian media Military Africa based in Nigeria, Naval Group’s offer also includes the concession of a new shipyard in Casablanca.

As for the HDW Class Dolphin AIP, it weighs a little over 2,000 tons and is over 68 meters long. The German submarine is equipped with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system that allows it to remain underwater for several weeks. The HDW Class 209/1400, on the other hand, is an older model. It is a 1,440-ton submarine just over 61 meters long.

For its part, Russia is offering Morocco the Amur 1650 submarine. An offer to consider now, due to the proximity between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. With its 1,650 tons and 67 meters in length, the Amur 1650 is also equipped with an AIP system. Portugal and Greece, for their part, are proposing to cede two of their already used submarines to Morocco.