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Rabat – Abdelhamid Harifi, a military analyst at the Far-Mar forum, a Facebook platform specialized in Morocco’s defense and military news, has denied the news of Morocco receiving 30 Mirage 2009-E aircraft from the UAE, stressing that the Gulf country will not transfer such jets to a third country if they do not receive a replacement.
“And a replacement is not for today, it is from 2027 with Rafales,” the analyst told Le360, adding that it is “absurd to believe that they [UAE] will transfer planes they are currently using to maintain a certain level of deterrence in light of what is happening in the region, a region where tensions are rising to unprecedented levels.”
Harifi, whom the Le360 report presents as a respected expert in Moroccan security, emphasized that Morocco needs to modernize its existing F-16s fleet as well as acquire new ones.
“By 2027, the entire F-16 fleet will be operational, and there will be the end of life for the F-5s and mirage F-1s. We will see by then if we’ll opt for new fighters or stick to a single air combat vector while waiting to have the means to properly equip ourselves in the air force,” he added.
The skeptical remarks by the military analyst come a few days after reports from Spanish media suggesting that France had authorized the transfer of 30 Mirage 2009-E aircraft from the UAE to Morocco.
La Razon, the Spanish outlet that first reported the news, notably described the alleged military deal as part of a broader cooperation agreement that will see Abu Dhabi acquire 80 Rafales from France.
In addition, the report claimed that France approved the purported deal on Wednesday last week following discussions between French Foreign Minister Stepha Sejourne and his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita.
Read Also: Morocco Retains Position as 29th Largest Arms Importer Worldwide
In recent years, Morocco has heavily invested in upgrading both the defense capabilities and operational firepower of its military.
This year, the North African kingdom allocated MAD 124.7 billion ($12.88 billion) to its defense industry.
Last month, a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) ranked Morocco among the 40 largest arms importers in the world.
