F-16 Fighting Falcon News

December 23, 2024 (by Lieven Dewitte) - With the goal of strengthening a key partner in North Africa, the US government has authorized the possible sale of new AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles to equip the Moroccan Air Force’s F-16 Block 72 fighters and GBU-39B Small Diameter Bombs.
The Kingdom of Morocco has requested to buy up to 30 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), one AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM guidance section and 500 GBU-39B Small Diameter Bombs I (SDBI); and two (2) GBU-39 (T-1)/B inert practice bombs with fuse.

The first time the C-8 version of the AMRAAM appeared in the US arms sales contract was in December 2019 when US Congress approved the sale of it to the Republic of Korea.

Earlier this year the Turkish Air Force ordered 952 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM while the Argentine Air Force ordered 36 of them.

The GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) that was also request by Morocco is a 110 kilo (250 lb) precision-guided glide bomb that is intended to allow aircraft to carry a greater number of smaller, more accurate bombs. Using the BRU-61/A rack they can be carried in sets of four. The SDB I has a circular error probable (CEP) precision of 1 meter (3ft.).

Included in the Air-to-Air Missile package are AMRAAM telemetry kits, control section spares, and containers; Common Munitions Built-in-Test Reprogramming Equipment (CMBRE); ADU-891 Computer Test Set Adapter Groups; munitions support and support equipment; classified software delivery and support; spare parts, consumables, accessories, and repair and return support; transportation support; classified publications and technical documentation; studies and surveys; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $88.37 million.

In the Small Diameter bomb package the following will be included: GBU-39 tactical training rounds; containers, weapons system support, and support and test equipment; spare parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support; publications and technical data; personnel training and training equipment; warranties; transportation support; site surveys; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, logistics, and technical support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost of that package is $86 million.

Faced with ongoing tensions with neighboring Algeria and the challenges of an aging combat aircraft fleet, Morocco initiated negotiations with the United States in the late 1990s and early 2000s to acquire modern fighter jets. After evaluating several options, including the Dassault Rafale, Morocco ultimately selected the F-16 Fighting Falcon..

In 2008, Morocco formalized its status as an F-16 operator through a $2.4 billion deal for 24 F-16C/D Block 52+ aircraft. The first jets were delivered in August 2011, and the entire fleet was in place by August 2012.

By the end of the 2010s, Morocco sought to further enhance its F-16 capabilities. The government approved plans to purchase 25 advanced F-16 Block 72 Viper jets and to upgrade its existing fleet of 23 Block 52+ aircraft to the Block 72 standard (one aircraft had been lost during operations in Yemen in 2015). In March 2019, the U.S. Department of State approved Morocco's requests, greenlighting the $3.787 billion purchase of the new Viper jets and a $985.2 million upgrade program for the existing fleet.

The first F-16 Block 72s are expected to be delivered by 2025, while the modernization of the block 52+ fleet is proceeding simultaneously.