In this year 2023, the arms race has never been so intense between Morocco and Algeria. The two countries are continuing their military purchases, the ambient air at the borders currently being more gunpowder than the calm sands of the desert.
Algeria, puffing out its chest like never before, has therefore planned for its ANP a military budget of 22.7 billion dollars for the exercise, an increase of 130% compared to 2022. To On a continental scale, Algeria occupies the second position of the most powerful countries militarily, after Egypt.
The Kingdom, which comes far behind in this little ranking game, does more in humility by arming itself with intelligence. Forced, it counts to do this to relieve itself of only 5.2 billion dollars, which represents, all the same, an increase of 3.6%. Algeria, by dangling its wealth of petrodollars, has managed to attract a few thirsty for money, particularly in these times when we deprive ourselves to fuel another war. France, Italy, Germany and other more discreet nations jostle at the gate, saluting Algeria for having changed tack.
Indeed, for a few dollars more, Algeria is gradually disengaging from its historical ally, Moscow, as the Ukrainian conflict evolves. That said, the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) remain faithful to their principles and work to acquire new advanced weapons. The United States, Israel and Turkey, even China… are all designed for this. Also new weapons acquisitions are in progress or would be if one sticks to the think tank Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis (MIPA). In this year, 23 F-16 fighter jets will be configured as F-16V recalling that last year, the US State Department approved the sale of 25 F-16C/D Block 72 fighter jets to the Kingdom.
This, in addition to 12 Boeing ordered, in 2020, for 4.25 billion dollars, 24 AH-64 Apache helicopters should be delivered to Morocco soon in addition to a first batch already acquired and we will not overshadow the four MQ-drones 9B Sea Guardian, devices, it is said, equipped with munitions guided by laser and GPS. In this first month of 2023, Rabat, in constant expectation of the delivery of Harop kamikaze drones, of Israeli manufacture, Morocco has already received the Israeli anti-missile system Barak MX. The Kingdom also expects to receive others during the year. From an air point of view, Morocco has nothing to envy to some.
In the same year, the United Arab Emirates should deliver the Mirage 2000-9 planes promised to Morocco during the purchase of the French Rafales. You are ignoring the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 combat drones acquired by the FAR and which have already proven themselves in the southern and southeastern regions of the Kingdom. Also expected, the French ground-to-air defense system VL MICA, ordered and which will soon be deployed. Acquisitions made in the context of tension between the two neighbors in North Africa. Now, the installations in Morocco of (Israeli) drone manufacturing plants would amount to amplifying certain old-fashioned rumors that are cultivated on the side of the senile regime in Algiers and which really worries the PNA East of Eden .
Indeed, Algiers, which has just turned its back on one of its main arms customers, Russia, suggests that there is concern about the partnership between Morocco and Israel and the kingdom’s constant efforts to strengthen and modernize its army. Morocco, without being outrageous and above all without being wasteful, is gradually establishing itself as a regional and global military power in view of its geostrategic position and its handpicked alliances, loyally and faithfully.