Rabat – Morocco is negotiating the purchase of seven fast attack craft (FAC), warships from Turkey.
Tactical Report, an outlet that covers defense news, said Morocco seeks to buy the ships for its Royal Moroccan Navy.
Negotiations started in October 2021, the report said, noting that Morocco is preparing a budget of $222 million to purchase the military craft.
In addition, Morocco is also said to be considering the purchase of an Ada class corvette from Turkey’s shipyard Golcuk.
The equipment will be deployed at reconnaissance and surveillance helicopter drones.
The delivery of the equipment is scheduled for the second quarter of 2022, according to Tactical Report.
The news comes as Morocco continues to upgrade its military equipment by making several high-profile purchases in the past months.
Recently, there were reports suggesting that Morocco is preparing to receive the French-made VL-Mica missile system to protect vital and sensitive facilities against air threats.
Earlier this month, news also emerged of the inauguration of Morocco’s first air defense base near Rabat.
Housing high-profile military equipment, including China’s long-range air defense system FD-2000B, the newly inaugurated military base is said to be devoted to long-range air defense.
Morocco’s recent purchases have put it among the world’s largest importers of major military equipment.
A 2021 report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) ranked Morocco among the top 40 largest importers of major military equipment worldwide.
Morocco received 24 combat aircraft and 24 combat helicopters from the US in 2020, the report assessed, forecasting that the country’s arms imports are likely to increase in the coming five years.
