Is Morocco Preparing to Enter the Submarine Era?

The possibility of the Kingdom acquiring its first submarines has been revived by a recent report from South Korean investment bank Mirae Asset Securities. According to data relayed by Medias24, this document anticipates the potential sale to the Royal Navy of three KSS-III Batch-I attack submarines by 2027. These cutting-edge vessels, whose unit price is estimated at 900 million dollars, are specially designed for maritime surveillance and long-range strikes.

On Bladi.net : French Submarines for Morocco: Naval Group’s Mediterranean Strategy

This financial projection does not, however, constitute a firm contractual commitment on Morocco’s part. It primarily serves to identify growth drivers for Seoul’s shipyards. Accustomed to a long observation phase before any purchase, Moroccan military diplomacy could leverage this Asian interest to negotiate better terms with its historical partners such as France, Spain, and the United States.

The timeline put forward by the Asian report raises strong reservations among specialists. Military consultant Abdelhamid Harifi believes that absorbing three units represents a major structural challenge for a navy lacking submarine experience. "You don’t buy a submarine on a whim. 2027 is tomorrow," he warns, suggesting that this date will more likely correspond to the opening of a consultation phase or an official call for tenders.

On Bladi.net : Morocco’s Naval Ambitions Surge: French Submarines on the Horizon

This desire for capability modernization fits directly into a strategy of protecting global maritime routes. Control of the Strait of Gibraltar is imperative to preserve the country’s vital economic interests, particularly the Tanger Med and Nador West Med port complexes. The integration of this new naval technology must ensure traffic security against state and asymmetric threats.