As part of its quest to modernize the capabilities of its air force, Morocco is preparing to receive one of the most powerful combat aircraft in the world, the "F-16 BLOCK 72", which it ordered in 2019, by modernizing two of its air bases affiliated with the Royal Air Force, according to the website. Defensa of Spain.
The cost of the aircraft deal is more than 36 billion dirhams (about 4.7 billion dollars), according to the website that specializes in military deals.
According to the company "Martin Lockheed", the manufacturer of this type of warplane, Morocco is close to acquiring a new squadron of them.
The F-16 BLOCK 72 is similar to the F-22 in terms of its advanced radar and Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) from Northrop Grumman.
In March 2019, the US State Department authorized Morocco to purchase 25 new F-16 fighter jets and upgrade 23 of its older models.
On November 2, the US Air Force issued an invitation to contractors interested in implementing the procedures for receiving “F-16 BLOCK 72” aircraft, which is to equip the fifth air base located in Benslimane, Rabat region, and the sixth air base in Ben Guerir near Marrakesh, according to what was reported. Defensa".
The winning contractor will design and build an aircraft shutdown and safety management system, as well as a maintenance area for testing aircraft engines, and a specialized facility to store secure and sensitive air combat data and equipment.
No date has been set for the completion of the work, which leaves the contractor to provide an initial schedule 42 days after receiving the contract, according to the Spanish website.
In recent years, Morocco has invested more in improving its military capacity, with Rabat ordering modern equipment from the United States, the main supplier of arms.
Last July, the US Air Force awarded Raytheon Technologies a $212 million contract to deliver fighter jet engines to the Moroccan army.
Last March, a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) ranked Morocco among the top 40 importers of major arms.
According to the same report, the United States is the main supplier of arms to Morocco (90 percent), followed by France (9.2 percent) and the United Kingdom (0.3 percent).
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