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Rabat – Morocco has entered into negotiations with the US to purchase the main attack aircraft of the US army, the “AH-64 Apache.”
The negotiations took place when the inspector general of Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces (FAR), Abdelfattah Louarak, visited ??Washington, D.C., to meet US Department of Defense officials, Al Massae reported.
Earlier this month, Morocco received military equipment, including armored tanks, from the US at its FAR base in Nouaceur, Casablanca.
If Morocco gets the AH-64 Apache, it would become the second African country to have the successful attack helicopter. Egypt was the first African country to buy AH-64 Apache.
The AH-64 Apache is one of the world’s most advanced multi-role combat helicopters, used by the US army and many international defense forces.
The Apache remains the best performing attack helicopter.
The Turkish T-129 ATAK helicopter
Morocco also wants to acquire the Turkish T-129 ATAK helicopter.
According to the North Africa Post, a FAR delegation visited the Ankara-based Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) headquarters in June to discuss the possibility of purchasing T-129 Atak helicopters.
FAR said the decision came as a result of the T-129’s performance in the Afrin battle in Syria, codenamed “Olive Branch.”
The Turkish-made T-129 would boost Morocco’s deterrence capacity. It is a smaller and lighter attack helicopter than Apache. It is also highly appreciated by international air forces.
The Moroccan army received 6 US anti-ship missiles including AGM RGM UGM-84 Harpoon in 2017, according to the UN Register of Conventional Weapons UNROCA. Morocco may purchase an F16 since it is the only vector that can carry this type of missile.
“The Royal Moroccan Navy does not have launching platforms for this kind of missiles on its ships and has no land to sea vectors at all,” the Defense Industry Daily outlet reported.
