Morocco Receives First AH-64E Helicopters

The Royal Moroccan Air Force has received the first 6 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters out of 24 ordered.

This was reported by Anwar Press.

The helicopters arrived at the 7th Air Base in Khouribga. The first helicopters were to be delivered in 2024, but the delivery was delayed. Currently, the rest of the machines are expected to be delivered gradually until mid-2026.

Morocco signed an agreement with the US Department of Defense to purchase 24 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters in June 2020.

The Version 6 helicopters supplied to the Moroccan Air Force will receive an upgraded Longbow fire-control radar with an increased detection range from 8 to 16 km. And the mode of use over water, which allows to fight enemy surface ships.

In total, the Kingdom has purchased 18 Longbow radars, which is less than the expected number of helicopters. However, due to the high cost of these radars, this is a common practice.

In recent years, Morocco has made a large number of strategic acquisitions to modernize its armed forces. In particular, it purchased the Israeli Barak-8 anti-aircraft missile system, 36 Caesar self-propelled howitzers, 36 Atmos 2000 self-propelled howitzers, 18 HIMARS, as well as ATACMS missiles, and 200 Turkish Cobra II armored vehicles.

An agreement was also signed with the Indian company Tata Group on the joint production of 150 wheeled WhAP infantry fighting vehicles.

In addition, the Kingdom agreed to establish a subsidiary of the Turkish company Baykar on its territory.

The company is called Atlas Defense and will be engaged in the design, manufacture, and maintenance of UAVs and aviation equipment.

According to the newspaper, this initiative is part of efforts to modernize the Royal Armed Forces and develop Morocco’s military industry.

The new subsidiary is equally owned by Lutfi’s brothers Khalouk Bayraktar and Selcuk Bayraktar, key figures in the Baykar group. Lutfi Khalouk Bayraktar is entrusted with the management of the company.