Spain is working to have a Silam (High Mobility Rocket Launcher System) launcher in order to face possible attacks from Morocco, which has just acquired the American HIMARS, capable of reaching Spanish cities like Seville and Granada. But the system will not be fully operational for five years.
Former Spanish Prime Minister and President of the FAES Foundation, José Maria Aznar, said on Friday that Spain "has less influence" with the United States than Morocco, which is a privileged military partner of the North American country.
Morocco recently signed a $524.5 million contract with the United States for the purchase of 18 HIMARS rocket launchers, equipped with 112 missiles with a range of 82 to 305 kilometers. With this acquisition, the kingdom will be able to reach Spanish cities like Seville and Granada in the event of armed conflict.
Konstantin Sivkov, first-class captain and vice-president of the Russian Academy of Missile and Artillery Sciences (ARSMA), assures that Morocco has never authorized the transfer of 20 of its Soviet-designed tanks it had acquired from Belarus to Ukraine.
While the alleged delivery by Morocco of 20 Soviet-designed tanks to Ukraine, which has been at war with Russia for nearly a year, has surprised more than one, revelations have just been made about this operation.
Morocco continues the dynamic of modernization and strengthening of its army. The kingdom continues to acquire rocket launchers, tactical missiles, drones and other state-of-the-art weapons from the United States, France, Israel. A rearmament that increasingly worries Spain.
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced the approval by the US State Department of the sale of Joint Stand Off Weapons (JSOM) bombs to equip its F-16 aircraft.
Israel will sell its Barak MX anti-aircraft defense system to Morocco. By June 2023, the kingdom should receive this missile interceptor manufactured by the company Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
The U.S. State Department gave its approval on Tuesday, April 11, for the sale of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and related equipment to Morocco, at an estimated total cost of $524.2 million.
Due to the crisis with Algeria, which considers Morocco as an "external enemy", the Moroccan government’s defense budget is expected to rebound after a decline in 2021-22. This is at least what a specialized firm predicts.
By modernizing its army through the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment and diversifying its sources of arms supply, Morocco has changed the balance of power in the region, according to a Spanish newspaper.
Morocco is among the top 10 arms importers in the Middle East. This is revealed by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).