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Rabat – The Naval Group, a major French defense contractor, has been discussing a possible order of French submarines with Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces (FAR), reports Africa Intelligence.
Morocco’s military acquisitions often fascinate and reach foreign and international media headlines. This time it is due to the last missing piece in FAR’s arsenal, namely the submarine.
There is no confirmation of a sale as of now, especially considering that Morocco has also looked at offers from Russia, Greece, and Portugal before. Russia was offering its Amur class submarine, a fourth-generation machine with diesel-electric propulsion. Meanwhile, Morocco was in talks with both Portugal and Greece over the acquisition of the European countries’ second-hand submarines.
While negotiations for military contracts are most often kept secret, there are several classes of submarines that the Moroccan Royal Navy could feasibly integrate. The direct contender to Russia’s Amur 1650 is the diesel-electric Scorpene-class submarine, which the Naval Group developed in partnership with the Spanish state-owned Navantia.
Read also: Morocco, US Navy Participate In ‘Lightning Handshake’ Exercises
Unlike its Russian counterpart, the French submarine has already found buyers. Among them are the navies of Chile, Malaysia, Brazil, and India.
From the Scorpene family of submarines, the Scorpene Compact might be a good fit for Morocco’s arsenal. It is suitable for coastal waters, and the Mesma anaerobic submarine system makes it a particularly discreet vehicle. The integrated French combat system and a fully automated centralized platform control system maintain a high level of diving safety, while also carrying a smaller crew.
The last time Morocco’s dealings surfaced on international media, Spanish news outlet El Confidencial Digital noted that the purchase of a submarine is “an old aspiration of the Royal Navy” that has remained unachievable to date despite successive attempts.
After years of rumors, speculations, and negotiations, the arms race seems to have entered into full swing.
