Royal Moroccan Air Force

Royal Moroccan Air Force
**القوات الجوية الملكية المغربية**
al-Quwwat al-Jawwiyah al-Malakiyah al-Maghribiyah
Forces Royales Air
Royal Moroccan Air Force; القوات الجوية الملكية المغربية; al-Quwwat al-Jawwiyah al-Malakiyah al-Maghribiyah; Forces Royales Air
	; ;
Active	1956 -
Country	Morocco
Branch	Air Force
Size	13,500 personnel; 300 pilots
Part of	Administration of Defence إدارة الدفاع
Engagements	Western Sahara conflict
Commanders
Military Leadership	General Ahmed Boutaleb; (Inspector of the Royal Air Force)
Civilian Leadership	King Mohammed VI; (Commander-in-Chief)
Insignia
Roundel
Fin flash
Aircraft flown
Attack	Mirage F1CH/EH
Fighter	Mirage F1CH/EH; F-5A; F-5E Tiger II
Trainer	Alpha Jet E; T-34; T-37B; FFA AS-202/18 Bravo
Transport	C-130H Hercules; CASA CN.235M

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The Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) (Arabic: القوات الجوية الملكية المغربية ; transliterated: 'al-Quwwat al-Jaoiyah al-Malakiyah al-Maghribiyah; French: Forces Royales Air) is the air force branch of the Moroccan Armed Forces.

[edit] History

[edit] The beginnings

The Moroccan air force was formed on November 19th, 1956 as the “Aviation Royale Chérifienne” (Sherifan Royal Aviation). Its modern installations and bases were inherited from France (Meknes, Rabat {in tandem with the United States}, Marrakech), the United States (Rabat {in tandem with France}, Kenitra, Benguérir, Boulhault, Nouasser and Sidi Slimane) and Spain (Layoune). The first acquisitions of this newly formed air force were 6 Morane-Saulnier MS500 Criquet, 3 Max Holste MH.1521 Broussard transport aircraft, 2 Beech E50 Twin Bonanza, 1 De Havilland DH114 Heron and 1 Bell 47G helicopter.

In 1961, it changed its name to "Force Aérienne Royale Marocaine" (Royal Moroccan Air Force), a denomination still used until now. In the same period, it obtained 12 MiG-17 fighters, 2 MiG-15UTI "Midget" trainers and 4 Ilyushin Il-28 bombers from the Soviet Union. 24 Fouga Magister training aircraft were also received from France.

The political rift with the USSR pushed Morocco to seek a new ally in the United States, acquiring from the latter 6 Northrop F-5 combat aircraft (4 single-seat F-5A and 2 two-seat F-5B) and another 20 F-5A and 4 F-5B in 1966. As for the transport units, they had at that moment 10 Douglas C-47, 18 Fairchild C-119G and 6 C-130 Hercules. The helicopter fleet was composed of 24 Augusta-Bell AB205A, and training was satisfied with 12 North American T-6 Texan. The next modernization of the Moroccan air force took place just before the Sahara conflict, with the acquisition of Mirage F-1CH attack aircraft, Beech T-34C Mentor training aircraft, Aerospatiale Puma helicopters, and new Hercules transport aircraft to substitute the older units. The Moroccan air force engaged in the Yom Kippur war with F-5 and MiG-17 fighters.

[edit] From the Western Sahara Conflict to present

At the beginning of the conflict, the Fouga Magister aircraft were the first to see action. Later on, the F-5 aircraft were thrown into action, to strike against Polisario targets. From the beginning, the objective of Morocco was to create a controlled and safe zone in the area considered as “useful” for its political and economic interests, that is, the Capital Al-Aaiun, the religious center Smara, and the phosphate field of Bu-Craa.

In 1980 construction of the Sahara defensive walls began, consisting of every type of obstacles for infantry and armoured vehicles, such as mines and radars, all backed by Quick Intervention Units (Détachements d'Intervention Rapide) able to move to and quickly reinforce every location along the wall, aided by air-transport composed of Super Puma, AB-205 and CH-47 Chinook helicopters.

As to the anti-tank defenses, it was decided additionally to use Hughes 500MD light helicopters with TOW missiles to neutralize the Polisario T-54, T-55 and BMP tanks. And apart from the ground radars of the Wall, two C-130 Hercules with SLAR system were also used for the detection of enemy units. After the loss of 1 F-5A and 2 RF-5A in the battles, 20 F-5E "Tiger II" and 4 F-5F were acquired thanks to Saudi financial support.

The main problem that faced the F-5 in Western Sahara was its insufficient range to realize missions in depth in the vast battlefield of the Sahara desert.

To minimize this problem, 4 tankers were purchased to provide the Moroccan “Freedom Fighters” with air-to-air refueling, and consequently increase their attack range. The Mirage F-1 were responsible of defending the air-space against a possible Libyan or Algerian attack, who's governments supported both financially and politically the Polisario front, during the beginning of the conflict.

In 1977, the Moroccan Mirage pilots started their training in an Air-force base located in Orange, France. In this same year, the Moroccan Air Force started receiving its first Mirage F-1C fighters. Libya and Algeria did not attack Morocco, and consequently Morocco destined its Mirages to ground-attack missions against Polisario. 3 Mirage Deliveries were received between 1978 and 1982. The first delivery were 30 Mirage F1-CH received between February and December, 1978. The second one, was received between December 1979 and July 1982 and comprised 14 Mirage F1-EH. Between July 1980 and June a final delivery of 6 Mirage F-1EH-200 was received.

During the 90’s there were plans for purchasing Mirage 2000 or F-16 fighter aircraft, however due to unavailable funding they have not been realized. Currently, and possibly as a result of the Algerian negotiations with Russia to purchase MiG-29 and Su-30MKA attack aircraft, the Royal Moroccan Air Force started seeking to modernize its ageing fleet.

In 2001, the Moroccan AF bought an unknown number of K8 trainers, which are likely to be based at Marrakech or Meknes

In the summer of 2007, the American F-16 and the French Rafale have been short-listed for the deal, but the Moroccan defense officials contracted U.S. company Lockheed Martin for 24 of the company's Block 52 F-16 fighter aircraft. Lockheed Martin awarded the Massachusetts-based Raytheon a contract to integrate its newest electronic warfare (ACES) suite into the F-16s as part of the Moroccan air force deal. The ACES system is Raytheon’s latest offering for the F-16, and consists of a radar warning receiver, digital jammer and chaff-flare dispensers. The system features a new, all-digital, low cost, high performance radar warning receiver for dense signal environments, and a new digital RF memory-based (DRFM) jammer with enhanced resource management and an upgraded bag of tricks. Raytheon’s contract calls for deliveries to begin in December 2009.

The new F-16s will be powered by P&W F100-229 engines with deliveries to take place during 2010-11. Four of the F-16s will be equipped with DB-110 airborne reconnaissance system from Goodrich Corporation. Goodrich's DB-110 allows pilots to capture images day or night using electro-optical sensors. Images can then be transmitted back for real time analysis. The system is in use on F-16s operated by the Hellenic (HAF) and Polish (PolAF) Air Forces.

US Defense Security Cooperation Agency also last December announced a related $200 million request to supply Morocco with 24 Beechcraft T-6B Texan II trainers.

The Government of Morocco has also requested a sale of:

   - 5 F100-PW-229 or F110-GE-129 IPE spare engines;
   - 4 APG-68(V)9 spare radar sets;
   - 30 AN/ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispensing Systems (CMDS)
   - 30 AN/ALR-56M Radar Warning Receivers (RWR)
   - 60 LAU-129/A Launchers;
   - 30 LAU-117 Launchers;
   - 6 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems;
   - 4 AN/ARC-238 Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System
(SINCGAR) radios with HAVE QUICK I/II;
   - 24 Conformal Fuel Tanks (pairs);
   - 4 Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals;
   - 2 Link-16 Ground Stations;
   - 4 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Embedded GPS/ Inertial Navigation Systems (INS);
   - 12 AN/AAQ-33 SNIPER Targeting Pods or AN/AAQ-28 LITENING Targeting Pods
   - 5 Tactical Air Reconnaissance Systems (TARS) or DB-110 Reconnaissance Pods (RECCE);
   - 4 AN/APX-113 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF) Systems;
   - 28 AN/ALQ-211 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites (AIDEWS);
or 28 AN/ALQ-187 Advanced Self-Protection Integrated Suites
   - (ASPIS II); or 28 AN/ALQ-178 Self Protection Electronic Warfare Suites (SPEWS)
   - 1 Unit Level Trainer
   - 30 AIM-120C-5 Advanced Medium Range Air-to Air Missiles (AMRAAM)
   - 60 AIM-9M SIDEWINDER Missiles
   - 20 AGM-88B/C HARM Missiles
   - 8 AGM-65D/G MAVERICK Missiles
   - 45 AGM-65H MAVERICK Missiles
   - 50 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits (which include 20 GBU-31 for MK-82
500 lb bomb, and 30 GBU-38, for MK-84, 2000 lb bomb); 20 GBU-24, PAVEWAY III kits;
50 GBU-10, PAVEWAY II kits
   - 150 GBU-12, PAVEWAY II kits; 60 Enhanced GBU-12 PAVEWAY II bombs
   - 300 MK-82 training bombs; 60,000 20mm training projectiles
   - 4,000 ALE-47 self-protection chaff
   - 4,000 ALE-47 self-protection flares and associated equipment and services

The F-16 deal has a potential value of $2.4 billion.

The principle contractors will be.

   - Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth, Texas
   - Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control, Dallas, Texas
   - Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, Seattle, Washington
   - Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona

The proposed sale will allow the Moroccan Air Force to modernize its aging fighter inventory, thereby enabling Morocco to support both its own air defense needs and coalition operations. Morocco is a Major Non-NATO ally.

[edit] Airbases

Rabat Salé (GMME) – Air Base Nº 1
Meknes - Bassatine (GMFM) – Air Base Nº 2
Kenitra (GMMY) – Air Base Nº 3
Casablanca - Air Base Nº 4
Sidi Slimane (GMSL) – Air Base Nº 5
Marrakech (GMMX) – Academy Base
Laayoune (El Aaiún) - Hassan Island (GMML) – Detachment 1
El Charida - share military/commercial airport

[edit] Personnel

Currently the total number of the Royal Moroccan Air Force personnel is 13,500. 300 of these are pilots (According to Jane’s 1999).

File:F5-1543-1

[edit] Aircraft Inventory

The Royal Moroccan Air Force flies a variety of Western-built airplanes, particularly French built aircraft. The Royal Moroccan Air Force's equipment consists of :

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
Dassault Mirage F1	France	fighter/attack	Mirage F1EH Mirage F1CH	40	[1]50 aircraft delivered, 10 W/O
Northrop F-5	United States	fighter/attack	F-5A/B F-5E/F	27 33	[2][3]
Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon	United States	fighter/attack	F-16C/D	24	To be delivered starting 2010
North American OV-10 Bronco	United States	light attack/ surveillance	OV-10A	6	2 lost over Sahara
Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet E	France Germany	trainer	Alpha Jet E	24
Cessna T-37 Dragonfly	United States	trainer	T-37B	14
Beechcraft T-34 Turbo Mentor	United States	trainer	T-34	12
FFA AS-202/18 Bravo	United States	trainer	AS-202/18 Bravo	14
CASA CN-235	Spain	transport	CN.235M	7
KC-135	United States	tanker	KC-135	2	One sold to Omega Air, and later on to the Israeli Air Force
Lockheed C-130 Hercules	United States	transport/tanker/EW	C-130/KC-130/RC-130	12/2/3
C-27J Spartan	United States	transport/tanker/EW		0	4 on order
Beechcraft King Air	United States	VIP jets	King Air	13
Cessna 414	United States	VIP jets	Cessna 414	1
Cessna 421 Golden Eagle	United States	VIP jets	Cessna 421	1
Cessna 560	United States	VIP jets	Cessna 560	1
Dassault Falcon 20	France	EW	Falcon 20	2
Dassault Falcon 50	France	VIP jets	Falcon 50	1
Dassault Falcon 100	France	VIP jets	Falcon 100	1
Gulfstream II	United States	VIP jets	Gulfstream II	2
Gulfstream III	United States	VIP jets	Gulfstream III	1
Aérospatiale SA 342 Gazelle	France	attack helicopter	SA 342K	24
Eurocopter SA 330 Puma	Spain France Germany	transport helicopter	SA 330C	33
Agusta-Bell AB205A Iroquois	United States	transport helicopter	AB205A	27
Boeing CH-47 Chinook	United States	transport helicopter	CH-47C	7
Sikorsky S-70 Blackhawk	United States	transport helicopter	S-70-25	2	Operated by Gendarmerie Royale