New American missiles will enhance the capabilities of the Moroccan army in confronting the threats facing the Kingdom. It is expected that the armed forces will acquire American medium-range AMRAAM missiles, in a new military deal that will enhance the country's military arsenal.
Raytheon Missile, Arizona, was awarded a non-competitive $768 million contract to produce advanced medium-range missiles for the Kingdom. This contract concerns the production of “air training missiles, a telemetry system, spare parts, and other military production engineering support devices.”
These missiles will be manufactured in the Tucson, Arizona workshop. This contract involves non-classified foreign military sales to Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Qatar, Romania and Saudi Arabia.
The highly flexible, self-guided AMRAAM missile, which Moroccan warplanes can carry and use, is also characterized by the ability to resist jamming, which gives it the ability to switch from active missile guidance to guidance that works on jamming signals from the target aircraft.
The software on board the missile allows it to detect if it is being jammed, and to guide the missile to its target using the appropriate guidance system.”
Morocco has previously acquired 400 M220A2 anti-tank missile launchers, TOW launchers, more than 2,400 TOW2A radio frequency missiles, 28 TOW2A radio frequency missiles, and 400 missile targeting system launchers. Enhanced "ITAS".
Morocco also aspires to acquire the "Patriot" missile system, which represents a medium-range surface-to-air missile defense system designed to counter all air threats, whether through combat aircraft, drones, ballistic missiles, or even "raft" missiles.
The Moroccan army lacks any long-range air defense system, unlike neighboring Algeria, which has acquired in recent years a highly advanced Russian and Chinese missile system, which makes this deal the first of its kind.
A source pointed out that “Algeria’s possession of Russian and Chinese missiles constitutes an explicit threat to the stability of Morocco, which prompted it to urgently search for an air defense system to enhance its air capabilities.”