Head to head · SD Strength Index
Algeria vs Morocco Military Power 2026 Compared
on 6 of 7 areas
| 19 | Air powercounts for 24% | 13 | ||
| 10 | Missiles & strikecounts for 15% | 8 | ||
| 33 | Air & missile defencecounts for 14% | 14 | ||
| 20 | Sea powercounts for 13% | 15 | ||
| 43 | Land forcescounts for 10% | 30 | ||
| 37 | Manpowercounts for 6% | 42 | ||
| 18 | Budget & industrycounts for 18% | 14 |
Key figures
| Algeria | Morocco | |
|---|---|---|
| Defence budget ($bn) | 24.5–25.4 | 7.5–15.7 |
| Active personnel | 130k–140k | 195k–200k |
| Reserves | 150k | 150k |
| Combat aircraft | 160–220 | 60–80 |
| Fifth-generation fighters | 2–6 | 0 |
| Attack helicopters | 42–48 | 12–13 |
| Main battle tanks | 1,400–1,500 | 370–540 |
| Aircraft carriers | 0 | 0 |
| Submarines | 6 | 0 |
| Naval fleet | 60–90 | 110–130 |
| Ballistic missiles | 0–48 | 0–36 |
| Missile range (km) | 280–500 | 150–300 |
| Long-range air-defence batteries | 8–30 | 1–4 |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | 0 |
Branch by branch
| Air power Advantage: Algeria | Algeria. An estimated 58 to 75 Su-30MKAs, 14 MiG-29Ms, six to 14 Su-35SEs and the first Su-34MEs, plus a reported two to six Su-57E stealth fighters and six Il-78 tankers. | Morocco. 23 F-16s being upgraded to F-16V standard and ageing Mirage F1s and F-5s. The first of 25 F-16 Block 72s flew in October 2026 but has not been delivered. |
| Land forces Advantage: Algeria | Algeria. An estimated 1,400 to 1,500 tanks led by 508 to 600 T-90SAs, 42 Mi-28NE attack helicopters and Smerch and PHL-03 heavy rocket launchers. | Morocco. An estimated 370 to 540 frontline tanks including 222 M1A1 SA Abrams, 36 CAESAR howitzers and 12 or 13 AH-64E Apaches so far. |
| Naval power Advantage: Algeria | Algeria. Six Kilo class submarines, assessed to carry Club-S cruise missiles, two MEKO A-200AN frigates and four corvettes built in China. | Morocco. No submarines. One FREMM frigate, three SIGMA ships and two Floreal class vessels. |
| Air defence Advantage: Algeria | Algeria. Six to eight S-300PMU2 batteries under Pantsir cover. S-400 and S-350 deliveries remain unconfirmed. | Morocco. One or two Barak MX and one to four FD-2000B batteries. Patriot field tests were reported in 2025, but no sale is confirmed. |
| Drones and combat experience Advantage: Morocco | Algeria. Chinese CH-5 Rainbow and Wing Loong drones, but no interstate war since 1963. | Morocco. Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci drones plus Israeli loitering munitions, with drone strikes on Polisario targets since late 2020. |
| Defence spending and suppliers Advantage: Algeria | Algeria. About $25bn in 2026, Africa's largest budget, though more than 70 per cent of its equipment is Russian. | Morocco. An estimated $7.5bn to $15.7bn, spent with American, Israeli, French, Turkish, Chinese and Indian suppliers. |
If it came to war
| Scenario | Short war | Long war |
|---|---|---|
| A border war with neither side receiving outside help | Algeria Algeria's tank mass, S-300 cover and Su-30 fleet give it the opening advantage, though Moroccan drones would punish exposed columns. | Algeria Over months, Algeria's dependence on slow Russian spare parts starts to bite while Morocco draws on Western resupply. The gap narrows. It does not close. |
| A naval and air confrontation in the western Mediterranean | Algeria Six Algerian submarines are a threat Morocco's surface fleet has little answer to, and Algerian fighters outnumber Morocco's F-16s. | Algeria Once the Block 72 F-16s and all 24 Apaches are in service, Morocco's air arm becomes a real match. The submarine gap stays, and with it Algeria's lead at sea. |
Is Morocco more powerful than Algeria?
No. Algeria spends more and the hardware shows it. It has six submarines to Morocco's none, roughly three times as many frontline tanks, and a far denser air defence network built on the S-300PMU2. Its fighter fleet is about twice the size of Morocco's and is adding Su-35s, Su-34s and, reportedly, Su-57s.
Morocco's case rests on quality and friends. Its F-16s, Abrams tanks and Apaches come with American training and support, and its drone crews have six years of real operations behind them. Algeria's army has not fought another state since 1963.
Do Algeria and Morocco get along?
No. Algeria cut diplomatic relations with Rabat in 2021. Western Sahara sits at the centre of the quarrel: Algeria backs the Polisario Front, and Morocco has been striking the group with drones since the ceasefire there collapsed in November 2020. Morocco's 2021 security memorandum with Israel deepened distrust in Algiers.
That rivalry drives the spending. Silent Dossier estimates Algeria puts close to 9 per cent of GDP into defence and Morocco around 6 per cent, burdens rarely seen outside war zones.
Who would win a war between Algeria and Morocco?
Algeria, in a short conventional war. Its submarines, tanks and air defences would tell early. The answer gets less certain the longer a war runs, because Algeria depends on Russian spare parts that already arrive late, while Morocco can draw on American and Israeli supply lines. Neither side has nuclear weapons. Algeria showed Iskander-E missiles at a 2024 parade, in unknown numbers, and nothing suggests a force big enough to decide a war.
Which country has the better air force?
Algeria, for now. Its Su-30MKA, MiG-29M and Su-35SE fleet outnumbers Morocco's fighters by roughly two to one, and six Il-78 tankers let it fly further. The reported Su-57E would give it the only stealth jets in North Africa, though Algiers has never confirmed them.
Morocco is betting on quality. Its 23 older F-16s are being brought up to F-16V standard, and 25 Block 72 jets are coming with modern radars and American weapons. That will not erase Algeria's lead in numbers. It will make any air battle expensive for Algeria.
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Questions readers ask
Is Morocco more powerful than Algeria?
No. Algeria spends more and leads on submarines, tanks, air defence and fighter numbers. Morocco leads on drone combat experience and access to Western suppliers.
Who would win in a war, Algeria or Morocco?
Algeria would likely win a short conventional war. A long one would narrow the gap, because Algeria relies on slow Russian resupply and Morocco on Western partners.
Does Algeria have a powerful military?
Yes. Its 2026 defence budget of about $25bn is the largest in Africa, and it fields Su-30 fighters, six Kilo class submarines and an estimated 1,400 to 1,500 tanks.
Do Algeria and Morocco get along?
No. Algeria cut diplomatic ties in 2021, and the two remain rivals over Western Sahara, where Algeria backs the Polisario Front.
Does Morocco have more troops than Algeria?
Yes, on active strength. Silent Dossier estimates about 197,500 active Moroccan troops against around 135,000 Algerian, though Algeria's paramilitary forces are roughly three times larger.