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| Royal Armed Forces (Morocco) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Royal Armed Forces (Morocco) |
| Native name | Forces Armées Royales |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Country | Kingdom of Morocco |
| Type | Armed forces |
| Role | National defence |
| Headquarters | Rabat |
| Commander in chief | Mohammed VI |
| Minister | Abdellatif Loudiyi |
| Commander | General Belkhir El Farouk |
| Active | ~250,000 |
| Reserve | ~150,000 |
| Conscription | No (professional) |
Royal Armed Forces (Morocco) are the principal Armed forces of the Kingdom of Morocco, established after the French Protectorate in Morocco and the Spanish Protectorate in Morocco ended in 1956. The forces serve under the authority of Mohammed VI as Commander-in-chief and operate alongside institutions such as the Ministry of the Interior (Morocco), Royal Gendarmerie (Morocco), and the Royal Guard (Morocco). Their evolution has been shaped by events including the Ifni War, the Sand War, the Western Sahara conflict, and regional dynamics involving Algeria–Morocco relations, Mauritania, and relations with Spain and France.
The modern force traces origins to pre-colonial units loyal to the Alaouite dynasty, the incorporation of colonial formations such as the Tirailleurs Marocains and the Regulares, and post-independence consolidation under King Mohammed V. Early crises included the Ifni War and the 1963 Sand War with Algeria, while the protracted Western Sahara conflict against the Polisario Front defined doctrine through the 1970s–1990s. Reforms in the 2000s drew on partnerships with United States, France, Spain, United Kingdom, and NATO frameworks, shaping force modernization influenced by programs such as the Foreign Military Sales and joint exercises like Operation Flintlock and African Lion.
Command is vested in the monarch, with strategic oversight by the Ministry of Defense (Morocco) and operational command via the General Staff of the Armed Forces. Senior leadership includes the Chief of General Staff and service chiefs for the Royal Moroccan Army, Royal Moroccan Navy, and Royal Air Force of Morocco. The structure integrates paramilitary elements such as the Royal Gendarmerie (Morocco) and the Auxiliary Forces. Geographic commands reflect Morocco’s regions and areas of responsibility including Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, Tangier, and sectors near Laayoune and Dakhla in the Western Sahara. Liaison mechanisms exist with international institutions including United Nations peacekeeping components and bilateral defence attachés from United States Army Africa, French Armed Forces in the Sahara, and other partner militaries.
The Royal Moroccan Army fields combined-arms brigades, mechanized infantry, and artillery formations centered around bases in Kénitra, Témara, Benslimane, and Taza. Key units include armored brigades equipped in part via acquisitions from United States, France, Spain, and Russia, and specialized formations trained for desert operations inspired by lessons from the Western Sahara conflict. Support elements encompass engineers, signals, intelligence battalions cooperating with agencies like the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance and coordinating with NATO partners during exercises such as African Lion and Cold Response-type interoperability events.
The Royal Moroccan Navy operates littoral and offshore assets based at ports such as Tanger-Med, Casablanca, Agadir, and Dakhla Port. The fleet includes frigates procured from France and United States, corvettes, patrol vessels, and amphibious landing craft capable of supporting operations in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. The navy conducts counter-smuggling and maritime security patrols cooperating with European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR), NATO maritime patrols, and bilateral exercises with Spain, Portugal, and United States Navy task groups.
The Royal Moroccan Air Force fields combat aircraft, transport, and rotary-wing assets based at air bases including Ben Guerir Air Base, Sale Air Base, and Laayoune facilities. The inventory has featured fighters and trainers acquired from United States and France, multirole fighters in modernisation programs, transport aircraft for strategic lift, and helicopters for assault and search-and-rescue missions. Air defence and surveillance are augmented by radars and cooperation with NATO air policing partners during joint training.
The Royal Gendarmerie serves as a national paramilitary police force with responsibilities for rural security, judicial policing, and border control, operating alongside the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance and the Auxiliary Forces (Morocco). These units have historical roots in colonial-era policing and have taken part in security operations tied to counterterrorism efforts against groups linked to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and transnational smuggling interdiction coordinated with INTERPOL and Europol.
Equipment spans armored vehicles, main battle tanks, artillery systems, coastal defense missiles, patrol craft, frigates, combat aircraft, transporters, and helicopters sourced from suppliers such as United States Department of Defense, Nexter Systems, Navantia, Dassault Aviation, Lockheed Martin, and Rosoboronexport. Capabilities emphasize mobility and desert warfare, maritime security, aerial reconnaissance, and logistics support, with modernization programs funded by national budgets and driven by interoperability goals with NATO Partnership for Peace and bilateral agreements with France and United States.
Morocco participates in international cooperation including UN missions, counterterrorism initiatives with United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM), regional exercises with African Union partners, and bilateral training with France, Spain, United Kingdom, Portugal, and Côte d'Ivoire. The Royal Armed Forces contribute to stability operations and humanitarian assistance, engage in defence diplomacy through visits to Washington, D.C., Paris, Madrid, and host multinational exercises like African Lion and African Lion 23 to enhance interoperability and regional security.
Category:Military of Morocco Category:1956 establishments in Morocco