According to information published by the Spanish “Defensa” website, the Royal Moroccan Navy has launched a program to acquire two multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft. The programme aims to increase the navy’s Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capabilities, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), search and rescue(SAR), and electronic intelligence (ELINT). The country is in dispute with Spain over maritime boundaries.
According to the publication, the Royal Moroccan Navy has selected several candidates to supply the two maritime patrol aircraft. The ATR 72 MP from Leonardo and the C295 from Airbus are preferred candidates. However, the evaluation process for all potential candidates will continue over the next few months, with technical and financial aspects.
In addition to the European candidates, the P-8 Poseidon from the American company Boeing will be considered, but this aircraft has financial disadvantages due to its price and high operational cost. Lockheed Martin, an American company, proposed the SC-130J Sea Hercules, but it was rejected.
Morocco is heavily involved in the security of the Strait of Gibraltar due to its extensive coastline (2,952 km) and strategic location overlooking the important international waterway. Because of the complexity of the issue and its legal and political ramifications, there are no formal maritime boundaries between Morocco and Spain, whether in the Mediterranean or off the Atlantic coast. The existence of a territorial dispute between Morocco and Spain over the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla is just one factor that has made it impossible for the two countries to reach an agreement on the delimitation of their maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean.
