As part of its strategy to strengthen its military capabilities, Morocco is set to receive an additional 172 « Abrams » tanks under a contract signed in 2018. The delivery, initially delayed for various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic, was recently confirmed by the official website of the U.S. Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program.
These tanks will be upgraded to the « M1A2 » standard, bringing the total number of Abrams tanks in the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces to 394. Previously, in 2012, Morocco acquired 222 « M1A1 Abrams » tanks in « Special Armor (SA) » configuration for over a billion dollars.
The « M1A2 » Abrams tank is considered one of the world’s most advanced main battle tanks. Designed by General Dynamics Land Systems, it is named after General Creighton Abrams.
According to defense experts, each tank weighs 63 tons, is 9.77 meters long (with the cannon facing forward), 3.66 meters wide, and 2.44 meters high. The crew consists of a commander, a gunner, a loader, and a driver.
The tanks are equipped with a 120mm M256K smoothbore main gun and secondary armament, including a 12.7mm machine gun and two 7.62mm machine guns.
They are powered by a 1,500-horsepower multifuel turbine engine, allowing a top speed of about 67 km/h on paved roads and a range of 426 km on these same roads.
The tank features advanced composite armor for high protection against modern threats and is equipped with an enhanced battle management system, enabling firing on the move.
A year ago, Morocco also received several advanced military equipment from various sources, including the United States and Israel, to upgrade its arsenal.
The kingdom took delivery of the first batch of the Israeli « Barak MX » air defense system, one of the most sophisticated and effective systems to counter aerial threats, after a year and a half of negotiations with Israel Aerospace Industries for a $500 million contract.
The « Barak MX » system can intercept missiles, drones, or aircraft by launching anti-aircraft missiles at ranges of up to 150 kilometers and altitudes between 20 and 30 kilometers.
One of the key features of the « Barak MX » missiles is their high-performance millimeter-wave radar, allowing for remote launch mode with a high probability of success, even after losing tracking radar data.
The system is compatible with other systems, such as surveillance and intelligence drones, which can designate targets and transmit their coordinates to the « Barak MX » system for precise strikes.
Morocco’s decision to acquire this system is driven by the need to enhance its defense capabilities amid rising tensions with Algeria, which has advanced Russian air defense systems such as the S-300 and S-400, and also to strengthen ties with Israel, a strategic ally in the region, as part of the Abraham Accords signed in 2020.
Moreover, Morocco has received 500 U.S. « Bradley » armored vehicles for free as part of the Excess Defense Articles program.
The « Bradley » vehicles, used by the U.S. armed forces, are renowned for their robustness in combat and ability to protect the crew. Their addition to Morocco’s arsenal will boost the country’s operational capabilities, particularly in troop transport, fire support, and various support missions.
