France has faced mounting challenges in promoting its advanced aircraft in Morocco. Despite being a long-time ally of Paris, the Kingdom of Morocco has opted against acquiring Dassault Aviation’s Rafale fighter jets as part of its military modernization plans, according to reports from the Moroccan newspaper The Parliamentarian.
Failed Negotiations
The newspaper claims that negotiations between France and Morocco for the sale of Rafale jets have never come to fruition. Despite the combined efforts of Dassault Aviation, the Directorate General of Armament (DGA), and the Élysée Palace, France was unable to convince Rabat to sign a deal for what is considered a flagship product of French aviation.
A senior French military official, cited by L’Express, remarked on the surprising failure, saying, “We thought we’d win because it’s Morocco—almost as if this country would naturally sign with France.” However, the outcome was a “disastrous failure,” largely attributed to a “lack of serious engagement” from the French side.
Diversifying Military Alliances
While Morocco remains a traditional partner of France, in recent years, Rabat has demonstrated a growing desire to diversify its military alliances, particularly with the United States and Israel. Despite the Rafale’s technical superiority, the deal appears to have faltered due to a lack of diplomatic and commercial flexibility, compounded by political tensions over the past decade.
“We underestimated how aggressively other powers were courting Morocco, offering more attractive financial terms, technology transfers, and better strategic alignment,” said Hassan Boukantar, a noted expert on Franco-Moroccan relations.
Historical Context of Military Modernization
In 2006, when Morocco decided to modernize its fleet of Mirage F1 fighter jets, it initially turned to the Élysée Palace with the intention of purchasing Rafale aircraft. However, negotiations quickly descended into chaos. Dassault Aviation initially proposed a €2 billion offer for 18 Rafale jets, but the French government countered with a lower price. Later, the proposal was revised to include additional equipment and operational guarantees, raising the price to €2.6 billion—signaling troubling questions about the financing of the deal.
US Diplomatic Efforts and F-16 Acquisition
Meanwhile, the U.S. intensified its diplomatic efforts, supported by Lockheed Martin’s commercial clout. Washington presented Morocco with an offer for 24 new F-16s, priced at a competitive €1.6 billion—far cheaper than the Rafale. In addition, the U.S. ramped up its political support for Morocco, particularly on the Sahara issue. In June 2007, Washington shifted from neutrality to explicitly supporting Morocco’s autonomy initiative in the disputed region.
This diplomatic shift was followed by a $697.5 million agreement between Morocco and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, strengthening the economic ties between the two countries.
By the summer of 2007, France made one last desperate attempt to salvage the deal, offering to finance the entire transaction through Coface. However, the decision had already been made: Morocco chose the F-16s, marking a crushing blow for French ambitions. Dassault and other French companies were subsequently excluded from the Aero Expo Marrakesh in October 2007—a bitter symbol of failure.
Current Fleet and Future Plans
Since then, the Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) has acquired 23 F-16C/D Block 50/52 aircraft, which it received between 2011 and 2012, having lost one over Yemen during combat operations. Earlier in 2019, the Royal Moroccan Air Force intended to procure an additional batch of F-16 Fighting Falcons from the United States and upgrade its existing fleet. Morocco requested 25 units of the latest Block 72 fighters (F-16Vs) worth $3.8 billion. In response, the US State Department disclosed that it is considering approving the contract.
In August 2020, the United States Department of Defence awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to produce and supply Morocco with twenty-four F-16 Viper multi-role fighter jet through its foreign military sales contract.
To further enhance its aerospace capabilities, Morocco is advancing in its plans to acquire Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation F-35 Lighting II stealth fighter jets. The deal is expected to include 32 stealth F-35 aircraft, with an overall cost exceeding $17 billion. This acquisition represents a substantial leap in the modernization of Morocco’s air force.
The decision to opt for U.S.-made F-16s over France’s Rafale is part of Morocco’s strategic shift towards diversifying its military alliances and enhancing its defense capabilities. This move also highlights the broader geopolitical dynamics at play, with Morocco seeking to maintain a balance of power in the region amid increasing military advancements by neighboring Algeria.
As Morocco continues to strengthen its defense posture with advanced fighter jets like the F-16 and potentially the F-35, the implications for regional security and diplomatic relations will be profound. The ongoing modernization of Morocco’s air force not only reinforces its military strength but also signals its commitment to securing its strategic interests in the region.
Meanwhile, The Kingdom of Morocco has been offered the entire Mirage 2000 fighter jets of the United Arab Emirates.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) plans to replace its fleet of Dassault Mirage 2000-9s when it takes delivery of 80 new Dassault Rafale F4s it ordered from France last year.
When it does, Morocco will receive its sixty Mirage 2000-9s it acquired in the late 90s. Dassault Aviation recently announced that the UAE contract for 80 Rafales has now come into force, meaning it has received the down payment that activates the contract.
The United Arab Emirates intends to give the first batch of 34 Mirage-2000-9 to the Moroccan air forces, to support the 50 F-16s and the 30 modernized Mirage F1s currently in service, to counter Algeria’s vastly superior air fleet.
The arrival of the 34 Emirati Mirage 2000s would allow Rabat to equalize the balance of power with its Algerian neighbor, which operates around 50 MiG-29s, sixty Su-30s, as well as 13 MiG-25, and which may in future acquire modern fighter-bombers from Russia such as the Su-34s, or the Su-57 Felon stealth aircraft.
