France and Morocco are mending fences with the recently approved deal involving the transfer of 30 French-made Mirage 2000-9 fighter jets to Morocco.
In 2021, the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE)purchased 80 Dassault Rafale fighters, also manufactured by France. These state-of-the-art jets will replace the UAE’s existing Mirage fleet.
As part of this deal, the UAE intended to directly sell their 30 Mirage 2000-9s to Morocco – jets still considered highly capable despite being surpassed by the Rafales.
However, a standard clause in the arms industry requires France’s approval for any third-party transfer of their manufactured weapons.
Initially, France reportedly considered buying back the Mirages to send them to Ukraine in the ongoing conflict with Russia. This scenario fell through, paving the way for a more diplomatic solution.
The breakthrough came during a meeting between the French and Moroccan foreign ministers. Key issues were discussed, including the Western Sahara dispute and, crucially, confirmation of the 30 Mirage transfer.
While these jets are not the absolute latest technology, experts like Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) point out that the UAE has a history of keeping their military equipment in excellent condition.
This means the Mirages Morocco will receive will be well-maintained and equipped with modern capabilities.
Currently, the UAE has 56 Mirage units in active service. It’s believed the remaining 26 will be transferred to Egypt.
The Mirage 2000-9 bridges the gap between the previous Mirage 2000-5 model and the more advanced Rafale. This version incorporates the latest avionics, radar, night vision, and navigation systems, making it a valuable addition to the Moroccan Air Force.
Morocco’s current air force relies heavily on the American F-16 fighter, though they still operate some aging French Mirage F1 jets. The new Mirages could potentially replace these outdated French models.
Morocco possesses 23 F-16 Block 52+ fighters and plans to upgrade them to the Block 70 version in the coming years. They are also expecting delivery of 25 brand new Block 70 F-16s starting in 2025.
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