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Rabat – Morocco and the US aerospace company Boeing signed on Wednesday an agreement as part of the Moroccan approach to upgrade its military equipment and response readiness to various threats.
Abdellatif Loudiyi, Delegate Minister for National Defense Administration, chaired the signing ceremony in the presence of senior officials from the Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) as well as representatives from the US Embassy in Rabat.
A statement from the national defense administration noted that the signing of the industrial agreement is part of the “extension of the acquisition program of Apache helicopters.”
The agreement, added the statement, reflected Morocco’s vision to establish its own defense industry and modernize, and strengthen the operational capabilities of its armed forces.
“This agreement provides for the strengthening of the autonomy of the Royal Air Force in terms of metrology, manufacturing, and composite repair of various spare parts and superstructures according to the most advanced aeronautical standards,” the statement elaborated.
The text of the agreement spoke of Morocco and Boeing’s determination to boost their partnership and strengthen cooperation in the field of research, development, and technology transition through Moroccan engineering centers. In particular, it noted plans to establish in Morocco a research center for advanced additive manufacturing 4.0, in partnership with the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Ben Guerir.
The agreement also works as an extension of an industrial memorandum that dates back to September 2016, for the creation of an ecosystem of aeronautical equipment. With a budget of $150 million, the statement noted, the project also provides for the establishment of a volume source of spare parts by the Boeing Company to contribute to the creation of jobs in Morocco and to revive the country’s industrial sector.
Morocco’s government has been modernizing its military equipment as part of the country’s newfound determination to upgrade the operational capabilities and response readiness of its armed forces amid existing and emerging threats to the country’s stability and strategic interests.
Last year in October, Morocco’s Council of Ministers approved a draft degree aimed at creating a directorate of military aeronautics to improve the safety of military aircraft.
The North African kingdom has relentlessly worked over the past few years to diversify its defense partnerships and boost its military capabilities. In 2021, Morocco acquired Israel’s Skylock Dome system, a highly-rated surveillance and monitoring system.
The latest Global Firepower Index ranked Morocco 61st out of 145 countries in its 2023 rankings.
