Morocco weighs Rafale deal as US fighter jet deliveries face delays

On March 25, 2019, Morocco signed a contract with the United States to acquire 25 F-16 Block 72 Viper fighter jets, worth $3.787 billion (around 40 billion dirhams). At the same time, Rabat secured the upgrade of its 23 F-16s already in service to the F-16V configuration at an estimated cost of $985.2 million (more than 10 billion dirhams).

More than seven years after the order was placed, the new aircraft have still not been delivered, fueling speculation that the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) may be looking to diversify their fighter jet suppliers.

According to specialized international media, Morocco and France are reportedly in advanced talks over the acquisition of 12 to 18 Rafale F4 fighter jets. «At this stage, neither the Moroccan government nor the French government has officially confirmed these negotiations», an English-language publication noted.

French media, however, report that the talks are taking place directly between the two governments and could lead to deliveries of the French aircraft between 2030 and 2031 — a somewhat optimistic timeline.

Indeed, any potential Moroccan order would have to contend with an already crowded order book at Dassault Aviation. As of December 31, 2025, the French manufacturer still had 220 Rafale jets to deliver, including 175 for export and 45 for the French Air and Space Force. Delays are already affecting several major contracts, including the delivery of the 80 Rafale F4 jets ordered by the United Arab Emirates in December 2021.

Relations between the Moroccan and French air forces have nevertheless strengthened in recent months. In June 2025, five Rafale jets from the French Air and Space Force took part, alongside FAR F-16s, in the «Marathon 2025» exercise held in Morocco.

Defense issues will be reviewed next week in Rabat during a new session of the Morocco-France Joint Commission, co-chaired by Prime Ministers Aziz Akhannouch and Sébastien Lecornu.

Alongside the French option, Morocco is reportedly exploring other ways to strengthen its fighter fleet. Among them is the JF-17 Thunder, jointly developed by Pakistan and China, which demonstrated its effectiveness in May 2025 during armed tensions with India.