US, Moroccan Navies Conduct Joint Military Exercises in Strait of Gibraltar

Fez – The Moroccan Sigma-class frigate Allal Ben Abdallah (F 615) conducted a naval exercise with the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) of the US Navy in the Strait of Gibraltar on December 14.

According to the US Navy, the aircraft carrier conducted maneuvers while passing through the Strait of Gibraltar via the Mediterranean Sea as part of a scheduled deployment.

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and its accompanying strike group had departed Norfolk Naval Base, Virginia, and Mayport, Florida, in early December.

“It was a great experience for our team to sail alongside the Moroccan Royal Navy,” Rear Admiral Curt Renshaw said of the joint exercises with the Moroccan Royal Navy.

In a statement for the US Navy, Rear Admiral Curt Renshaw, commander of Carrier Strike Group 8, said the maneuvers showed the group’s “versatility to enhance interoperability with like-minded partners in both training and real-world operations.”

The US is determined to work “alongside allied and partner maritime forces,” to preserve security and regional stability, according to the statement. It also stressed that “partnering with the Moroccan Navy through the Strait of Gibraltar demonstrates the strong maritime partnership with Morocco and commitment to international law.”

The statement further added that the US and Moroccan navies “certainly share the goal of fostering conditions for maritime security and stability in the region.” Cooperation between the two navies will help “deter or counter those who threaten security anywhere in the world,” it concluded.

Bilateral military relations between Morocco and the US have steadily improved in recent months. In August, US Army Chief of Staff General James C. McConville led a high-level group to Morocco on an official work visit.

Abdellatif Loudiyi, the Minister’s Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of the National Defense Administration, and McConville both expressed satisfaction with bilateral military collaboration between the two countries, including joint training exercises and expertise sharing.