Country profile · SD Strength Index
Morocco Military Strength 2026
Score by area
| Air power | 13 | |
| Missiles & strike | 8 | |
| Air & missile defence | 14 | |
| Sea power | 15 | |
| Land forces | 30 | |
| Manpower | 42 | |
| Budget & industry | 14 |
Armed forces in 2026
Key figures
As of 2026-10| Defence budget | 7.5–15.7 $bn | B |
| Share of GDP | 4–8 % | C |
| Active personnel | 195k–200k | C |
| Reserves | 150k | B |
| Combat aircraft | 60–80 | C |
| Fifth-generation fighters | 0 | A |
| Attack helicopters | 12–13 | B |
| All military aircraft | 230–280 | C |
| Main battle tanks | 370–540 | C |
| Rocket artillery | 60–110 | C |
| Aircraft carriers | 0 | A |
| Destroyers | 0 | A |
| Frigates | 6 | A |
| Submarines | 0 | A |
| Ballistic missiles | 0–36 | C |
| Longest missile range | 150–300 km | C |
| Long-range air-defence batteries | 1–4 | C |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | A |
A confirmed B strong estimate C estimated range
Main equipment
| Equipment | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| F-16C/D Block 52+ (F-16V upgrade) | 23 | A |
| F-16C/D Block 72 | 0 | A |
| Mirage F1 (MF2000 upgrade) | 20–27 | C |
| F-5E/F | — | C |
| AH-64E Apache Guardian | 12–13 | B |
| FD-2000B (HQ-9 export) | 1–4 | B |
| Barak MX | 1–2 | B |
| Sky Dragon 50 | — | C |
| Patriot PAC-3 MSE | 0–1 | C |
| M1A1 SA Abrams | 222 | B |
| Abrams (EDA, M1A1SA/M1A2M upgrade) | 0–172 | C |
| VT-1A | — | C |
| CAESAR 155mm | 36 | B |
| ATMOS 2000 | 0–36 | C |
| WhAP 8x8 | — | A |
| M142 HIMARS + ATACMS | 0–18 | C |
| Bayraktar TB2 | 13–25 | C |
| Bayraktar Akinci | 1–6 | C |
How strong is Morocco's military in 2026?
Silent Dossier estimates about 197,500 active personnel, 150,000 reservists and 50,000 paramilitary. Spending is hard to pin down because procurement sits partly outside the core budget. Silent Dossier puts the 2026 total between $7.5bn and $15.7bn, and the draft finance law raised commitment authority by 17.8 per cent.
The supplier list is what sets Morocco apart. It is a major US ally outside NATO, hosts the African Lion exercise and signed a security memorandum with Israel in 2021. Rabat buys from Washington, Israel, Ankara, Paris and Beijing, and now builds Indian-designed armoured vehicles at home.
What fighter jets does Morocco have?
The core is 23 F-16C/D Block 52+ being upgraded to the F-16V standard. The bigger step is 25 new F-16 Block 72s, ordered in 2019 for about $3.8bn. The first flew in the United States on 6 October 2026, and no delivery date has been announced. An estimated 20 to 27 upgraded Mirage F1s reach the end of their lives around 2027, and the F-5E/F fleet is retiring.
Talks on 32 F-35As have been reported for years, and an order was rumoured for early 2026. Silent Dossier treats it as unconfirmed. A planned transfer of 30 used Mirage 2000-9s from the UAE was put on hold in 2026.
How modern is Morocco's army?
Old and new side by side. Morocco has 222 M1A1 SA Abrams, a further 162 approved in 2018 with delivery unclear, and ageing M60s. Silent Dossier estimates 370 to 540 main battle tanks in all. Morocco received 36 French CAESAR howitzers in 2022 and reportedly ordered 36 Israeli ATMOS guns in 2025. The US approved 18 HIMARS with ATACMS in 2023, and delivery is unconfirmed.
Attack helicopters are the clearest upgrade. Of 24 AH-64E Apache Guardians ordered, the first six arrived in March 2025 and a second batch followed in spring 2026, giving an estimated 12 to 13 in service. Tata's WhAP 8x8 armoured vehicle has been built in Morocco since September 2025, with about 150 planned for the army.
Does Morocco use drones in combat?
Yes. Since the Western Sahara ceasefire collapsed in November 2020, Morocco has flown armed drones against Polisario targets. It operates Turkish Bayraktar TB2s and, since February 2025, Akincis, along with Chinese Wing Loong models and Israeli loitering munitions. An Israeli loitering drone plant reportedly opened in Morocco in November 2025. Algeria owns more hardware, but it has no comparable combat record with drones.
Where is Morocco weakest?
Air defence and naval depth. Morocco has one or two Barak MX batteries and one to four Chinese FD-2000B batteries, far thinner than Algeria's network. Patriot field tests were reported in 2025, but no sale has been confirmed. The navy relies on one French FREMM frigate, three Dutch SIGMA ships and two Floreal vessels, with no submarines.
Algeria ranks well ahead of Morocco on the Silent Dossier index, and Egypt further still. When the Block 72 jets and the remaining Apaches arrive, the air gap with Algeria will narrow. The gaps in air defence and at sea will not.
Compare Morocco
Combat record and readiness
Has fought a low-level war with the Polisario Front in Western Sahara since the ceasefire collapsed in November 2020, mostly with drone strikes. Flew with the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in 2015, losing an F-16.
A young industry built around foreign plants: a Tata 8x8 armoured vehicle factory opened in 2025, alongside an Israeli loitering munition plant and ammunition production. Most equipment is imported.
A professional force with steady funding. F-16 Block 72 deliveries are late, with the first jet flying only in October 2026, and 23 older F-16s are being upgraded to F-16V. Mirage F1 and F-5 fighters are near the end of their lives, and the UAE has held back promised Mirage 2000-9s.
Latest Silent Dossier analysis
Questions readers ask
Is Morocco more powerful than Algeria?
No. Algeria ranks well ahead on the Silent Dossier index, with a budget of about $25bn against Morocco's estimated $7.5bn to $15.7bn and more tanks, submarines and air defence. Morocco leads on Western technology and recent drone combat.
How many soldiers does Morocco have?
Silent Dossier estimates about 197,500 active personnel, roughly 150,000 reservists and 50,000 paramilitary.
Does Morocco have F-35s?
No. Talks on 32 F-35As have been reported for years, but no order is confirmed. Morocco's newest fighters will be 25 F-16 Block 72s, the first of which flew in October 2026.
Who are Morocco's military allies?
Morocco is a major US ally outside NATO, signed a security memorandum with Israel in 2021 and keeps close defence ties with France and the Gulf states. It also buys drones from Turkey.
Does Morocco have submarines?
No. Its navy is built around surface ships, led by one FREMM frigate and three SIGMA vessels.