The United States government has authorized the potential sale of hundreds of FIM-92K Stinger missiles to equip the Moroccan Armed Forces, in a transaction to be carried out through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, valued at approximately US$825 million. This was announced by the U.S. Department of State in a formal notification to Congress, published on April 15.
Reviewing the details of Morocco’s potential acquisition, the package includes a total of 600 FIM-92K Stinger Block I missiles, which would undoubtedly enhance the country’s short-range air defense capabilities. In addition, the deal would include related engineering and logistics services provided by the United States to deliver the weapons to the North African country, as well as technical support to ensure the systems remain operational.
According to the official statement: “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a major non-NATO ally that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in North Africa (…) Morocco intends to use these defense articles and services to modernize its armed forces and expand its short-range air defense options. This will contribute to the Moroccan military’s goals of upgrading its capabilities and enhancing interoperability with the United States and other allies. Morocco will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.”
Furthermore, it has been officially stated that two primary contractors will be involved in the potential sale: RTX Corporation (through its Tucson, Arizona facility) and Lockheed Martin (via its site in Syracuse, New York). It was also clarified that no offset agreements are currently required for the execution of the sale, nor is the deployment of U.S. personnel to Morocco being planned in connection with the deal.
Lastly, it is worth noting that Morocco continues its efforts to modernize its military capabilities. In recent months, this has included the arrival of new Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters from the U.S., in a batch reportedly consisting of around two dozen units, accompanied by Oshkosh HEMTT and FMTV vehicles for related ground support operations. Additionally, Morocco is believed to have completed the purchase of TB-001K combat drones from China, adding to its diverse inventory of unmanned systems, which already includes the Wing Loong 2, Bayraktar TB2, WanderB, and ThunderB platforms.
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