Morocco is set to become the first North African country to acquire the HIMARS weapon, High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, marking a significant step in enhancing its military capabilities.
Lockheed Martin has been contracted to manufacture the systems for Morocco, following the US’s approval of two foreign military sales in April last year, worth over 750 million dollars, “Defence Web” said.
Morocco’s purchase includes 18 M142 HIMARS launchers, along with a range of associated equipment, including nine M1152A1 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV), practice rocket pods, radios, 18 FMTV resupply vehicles, three FMTV wrecker trucks, and 18 M1095 trailers. The total value of this sale is estimated at 524 million dollars, including ammunition.
The HIMARS launchers will be equipped with 40 M57 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) rounds, 36 M31A2 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) Unitary rounds, and 36 M30A2 GMLRS Alternative Warhead rounds.
The ATACMS is a short-range ballistic missile with a range of up to 300 km, while the GMLRS Unitary and Alternative Warhead rounds have a range of 70 km and carry 100 kg warheads, offering precision strikes for point and area targets.
In addition to its HIMARS acquisition, Morocco also possesses Chinese-made WS-2D multiple rocket launchers with a range of 400 km and PHL-03 (AR-2) 300 mm multiple rocket launchers.
The HIMARS deal will complement these systems, enhancing Morocco’s long-range strike capabilities.
Morocco’s acquisition is part of a broader contract announced by the US Department of Defense on July 2, which includes ATACMS for other countries like Estonia, Latvia, and Poland, with work expected to continue through December 2028.
This acquisition makes Morocco the first in the region to possess the HIMARS system, joining countries like Jordan, the UAE, and Ukraine, where HIMARS has proven its effectiveness in combat situations.