PUSL.- Morocco entered the final phase of a contract with the USA in the midst of the Covi-19 pandemic, to purchase 25 F-16 fighters equipped with radars, armaments, etc., 36 Apache helicopters and 23 F-16 Viper modernization kits for the existing fleet. This purchase was authorized in March 2019 by the US State Department, the payment is due over several years with a credit line.

The F-16 are produced by the enterprise “Lockheed Martin” that already started the production as announced in its website. The delivery of these aircrafts are scheduled for 2025. Digiflight firm will be in charge of the production of the helicopters.

Several websites circulated a statement from an expert of the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces that has allegedly mas a statement to the Moroccan news site Médias 24.

The expert whose name remains unknown was said to have explained the different phases of execution of the contract that has the three orders, in a total amount of nine billion dollars.

The expert explained that these purchases are necessary as well as updating the existing arsenal due to “the risks of regional instability (Algeria, Libya, etc.) and even the resumption of hostilities south of Western Sahara”.

The US State Department has thus sanctioned the purchase of military equipment to be used in the occupied territories by Morocco, which is a clear violation of international law and puts in risk the cease-fire agreement.