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Rabat – Morocco is in talks with Israel to purchase the Delilah short-range cruise missile for its fleet of F-5, a supersonic light fighter jet, according to a report by Spanish military news website Defensa.
The missile system is developed by Israeli weapon manufacturer Elbit Systems and will be the first of its kind in Morocco’s defense arsenal, Defensa added, noting that it would also be the first missile in Morocco’s arsenal to effectively operate on land and sea targets within the range of 250 km.
The deal is still pending Morocco’s sealing of an agreement with Israeli security institutions. Israeli security authorities scrutinize the country’s arms exports over concerns of the possibility of the weapons falling into the hands of adverse militarized entities.
Jews of Moroccan origin are strongly lobbying to wend off these concerns and see through the sale, Defensa’s report noted.
Morocco intends to use the Delilah cruise missiles to upgrade its already-existing fleet of F-2 fighter jets.
In addition to equipping them with the Delilah cruise missile, Morocco has announced plans to upgrade the fighter jets with fire control radars, digital displays, as well as advanced data links.
The list of upcoming upgrades also includes advanced sponsor systems, signal jamming systems, and the air-to-ground and air-to-air attack missiles the likes of the Delilah cruise missile.
The deal is part of Morocco’s latest effort to upgrade its arsenal as the country had announced a series of purchases for state-of-the-art military equipment earlier this year.
Last month, the country announced striking a deal with a Belgian defense contractor for the launching of military-grade aircraft.
The measure is in line with Morocco’s strategy to incorporate weapon manufacturing into its industrial apparatus.
In 2020, the parliament adopted new legislation dedicated to regulating the manufacturing, trade, and transportation of arms.
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