In recent years, Morocco and the United States have strengthened their military cooperation through major defense acquisitions, training programs, and joint exercises. This includes significant arms purchases, security assistance, and Morocco's participation in U.S. military initiatives like African Lion and the State Partnership Program. Morocco and the United States have enjoyed a thriving security and defense cooperation in the last two decades, culminating in a series of military purchases, joint security operations, and exercises. Over the years, Morocco has become the largest purchaser of U.S. military equipment in Africa. Data shared in January 2025 by the U.S. Department of State reveals that the United States has $8.545 billion in active government-to-government sales cases with Rabat under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system. The FMS program is a U.S. government security assistance initiative that facilitates the purchase of U.S. arms, defense equipment, design and construction services, and military training by foreign governments. Recent major defense purchases made by Morocco under the FMS system include 18 M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, 40 AGM-154C Joint Stand Off Weapons (JSOW), six Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS-JTRS), ten GM-84L Harpoon Block II Air-Launched missiles, 25 F-16C/D Block 72 aircraft, 5,810 MK82-1 bombs, 36 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, eight AN/MPQ-64F1 SENTINEL Radars, 20 AIM-9X-2 SIDEWINDER Missiles, three CH-47D CHINOOK Helicopters, 40 LAU-129A Launchers with 20 AGM-65D MAVERICK Missiles, and a Gulfstream G-550 aircraft. Morocco: A Loyal Defense Client of the U.S. Looking back, the U.S. Department of State indicates that since 2013, Morocco has received equipment worth $478 million under the Department of Defense's Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program. This initiative transfers surplus U.S. military equipment to allied and partner nations at reduced or no cost. According to the report, this includes 222 M1A1 Abrams tanks, two C-130H aircraft, and 600 M113A3 Armored Personnel Carriers. Between fiscal years 2018 and 2022, over $167 million worth of defense articles were exported to Morocco through the Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) process, which allows foreign governments to purchase defense equipment, services, or technology directly from U.S. defense contractors rather than through the FMS. The top three defense exports Morocco ordered through the DCS were military electronics, gas turbine engines and associated equipment, and fire control, laser, imaging, and guidance equipment. In addition to defense purchases, the U.S. has also assisted Morocco through Foreign Military Financing (FMF), a U.S. government grant and loan program that helps allied and partner nations acquire U.S. defense equipment, services, and training. Since 2012, the U.S. has granted Morocco $135 million in FMF, which has helped Rabat maintain U.S.-origin defense articles, boost maritime surveillance to address illegal immigration, smuggling, drug trafficking, and illicit fishing, procure transport and logistics equipment, and upgrade aerial surveillance. Military Assistance, Joint Exercises, and Training American military assistance to Morocco also includes training and education under the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, which provides funded military education and training to foreign military personnel. Since 2006, Morocco has received a total of $32 million for IMET, allowing Moroccan students to attend Professional Military Education courses at U.S. service schools annually. Beyond these U.S. military programs, Morocco has leveraged its Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status, designated in 2004, to engage in cooperative research and development, reciprocally funded training, and enhanced defense collaboration. Since the late 1990s, Morocco has hosted the AFRICAN LION training exercise, bringing together U.S. and Moroccan forces alongside participants from over twenty countries and NATO for joint training. Under U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) since 2008, African Lion has grown into the largest joint military exercise on the continent, with thousands of troops participating annually. Additionally, since 2003, Morocco has maintained a training partnership with the Utah National Guard under the U.S. National Guard State Partnership Program, which provides specialized training and exchange opportunities with the Moroccan Armed Forces. This U.S.-Morocco security and defense cooperation is likely to be maintained as Washington sees in Rabat a «stalwart partner in multilateral defense».
