The United States Air Force has awarded Raytheon Technologies Corporation a $212 million contract to provide new F-16 fighter jet engines for Morocco.
Raytheon is expected to complete manufacture and delivery of the F100-PW-229 install engines by 2025. The company will conclude the manufacturing at its East Hartford, Connecticut, plant.
In 2019, Morocco signed a deal with the US for F-16C/D Block 72 fighters and to supply upgrades to the country’s existing F-23 fighter jets. The request for the new F-16 marked the single largest expense of fiscal 2019 for Morocco.
Towards Continued Modernization
The US Agency for International Trade reported that, in the past year, there had been twice the value of military sales to Morocco compared to 2019. The total value of these sales comes to $8.5 billion. These purchases have included 25 F-16s, 24 Apache attack helicopters, and G550 reconnaissance aircraft.
Another significant acquisition was the purchase of 25 armored vehicles from the US for $240 million in 2020.
In 2020, Morocco reported that 91 percent of its military supplies had been from the US. The rest are sourced from France and the UK. As part of the country’s five-year plan for “regional military supremacy,” Morocco has significantly increased its purchases of military equipment and supplies.
These efforts are said to be part of the country’s aim to modernize its army, navy, and air force.
