Second Batch of Six AH-64E Apache Helicopters Ready for Delivery to Morocco

The AH-64E Apache acquisition program is progressing in line with the established schedule. According to the latest information, six new aircraft have completed their construction phase and are now ready for imminent delivery to Morocco.

The six aircraft will be loaded onto a vessel bound for the port of Tanger Med.

According to our military consultant Abdelhamid Harifi, the process is proceeding as forecast. He notes that it is still premature to declare the system "fully operational", given its complexity, but stresses that the training phase is advancing significantly.

Within this program, the Royal Armed Forces are gaining greater autonomy, as training is now being carried out by Moroccan personnel directly on the national fleet of helicopters.

Yet, while this logistical achievement with the Apache helicopters is noteworthy, it also underscores lingering questions surrounding other major programs—most notably the F‑16 fighter jets.

Indeed, the delivery of the F-16s, unlike the Apache program, has encountered some delays. These setbacks come amid a volatile international and regional security environment, where border threats are evolving rapidly, making the overall modernization of air capabilities more crucial than ever.

Announced in June 2020, this purchase of 24 Apache helicopters makes the Kingdom the 17th country to acquire the Boeing AH-64 Apache, and the second in Africa after Egypt.

Concluded with the U.S. military under the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, the contract stipulates that Boeing will manufacture 24 AH‑64E Apache Guardian helicopters for Morocco.

The Pentagon sought congressional authorization for the sale of these helicopters, which includes an option for an additional 12 aircraft, along with various armaments and equipment, for a maximum estimated value of 4.25 billion dirhams.

"The order, officially placed in June 2020 for 24 helicopters, has a final value that remains undisclosed to this day, though it is understood to be lower than the initially announced amount," Mr. Harifi explains.

This contract forms part of a historic Moroccan order to modernize the Royal Armed Forces, encompassing the delivery of 25 F‑16 Block 72 fighters equipped with fifth‑generation radars, the upgrade of 23 existing aircraft, and the acquisition of 36 AH‑64E Apache helicopters, including 12 under option.

Cérémonie de réception de six hélicoptères Apache AH-64E à la base aérienne de Salé