Royal Air Force: a first C-130 in overhaul, pending national autonomy

This transfer to the L3Harris Technologies hangars in Waco concretely activates the contract signed in July 2025. The operation aims to extend the operational life of the aircraft through a complete overhaul of the avionics and navigation systems, strengthening its reliability for tactical missions. For American diplomacy, through its chargé d’affaires Aimée Cutrona, this step goes beyond a simple commercial relationship to enter a logic of technological co-development.

However, the real strategic break is being played out on national soil. To free itself from these external services in the long run, the Kingdom has laid the first stone of the Maintenance Aero Maroc (MAM) center at the Benslimane air base. This 80,000 m² complex, the result of an alliance between Lockheed Martin, Sabena Engineering and MedZ, will house a hangar dedicated to heavy maintenance operations on the F-16 and C-130 fleets.

Expected for the second half of 2026, this site embodies a paradigm shift. By internalizing these high-level skills through technology transfer, Rabat intends to reduce the foreign exchange bill and limit the immobilization of its aircraft. The ultimate goal is to repatriate the maintenance cycles currently carried out abroad, thus guaranteeing the operational sovereignty of the Royal Air Force.