Marrakech, November 22, 2025 – The Europe Today: The United States Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense) has designated Morocco among eight countries to receive F-16 radar component repair and support services under a major new contract awarded to Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation.
According to the announcement made on November 13, Northrop Grumman secured a $303.6 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract to provide repair-and-return services for F-16 radar systems. Morocco joins Bahrain, Bulgaria, Greece, South Korea, Slovakia, Taiwan, and Jordan as beneficiaries of this multi-year support program. Work will be carried out at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Linthicum Heights, Maryland, with completion expected by November 2030.
The contract includes initial obligated funding of $2.7 million, while the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, will oversee the project as the contracting authority.
Strengthening Morocco’s Role in the F-16 Ecosystem
Morocco’s participation underlines its expanding footprint in the global F-16 network. The Royal Moroccan Air Force has ordered 24 new F-16V “Viper” aircraft, the most advanced variant of the Lockheed Martin fighter jet, with deliveries anticipated before 2026. The country is also conducting a comprehensive upgrade of its existing fleet to the same Viper configuration.
The new F-16V aircraft will be equipped with AN/APG-83 AESA radar—a state-of-the-art system offering enhanced resistance to electronic jamming—as well as the Viper Shield electronic warfare suite, developed by L3Harris Technologies. The latest radar maintenance contract ensures sustained operational readiness for Morocco’s expanding and modernizing fleet.
Deeper Integration into U.S. Defense Supply Chains
This development follows the U.S. State Department’s May approval of a technology-transfer package valued at over $50 million, enabling Morocco to manufacture key F-16 components domestically, particularly for the Viper variant.
Morocco’s longstanding defense collaboration with Lockheed Martin dates back to 1974, beginning with the delivery of C-130H transport aircraft. Over the decades, the partnership has grown to include F-16 fighters, Sikorsky helicopters, and advanced radar systems.
The country is simultaneously boosting its domestic maintenance capabilities. In October, Maintenance Aero Maroc (MAM) began construction of an 8,000-square-meter heavy-maintenance hangar at Benslimane Airport, intended to support both C-130 and F-16 aircraft. The joint Moroccan-Belgian-American facility is projected to become operational by late 2026.
Expanding Defense Investment
Morocco’s 2026 defense budget stands at MAD 73 billion ($7.3 billion), or roughly 4% of GDP—an increase of MAD 3.3 billion ($330 million) compared to 2025. Defense Minister Abdeltif Loudyi stated that the expanded budget will fund personnel growth, modernization efforts, and industrial development across Morocco’s armed forces.
Reinforcing Strategic Partnership
The F-16 radar support agreement underscores Morocco’s growing strategic importance to the United States in North Africa and highlights deepening regional defense cooperation.
The announcement follows the recent visit of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) Commander General Dagvin Anderson to Morocco, during which he reaffirmed the nearly 250-year-long U.S.–Morocco partnership. His meetings with Moroccan officials and his visit to Ben Guerir Air Base further strengthened ongoing cooperation and shared security priorities across the African continent.
