The Royal Moroccan Air Force and U.S. Air Force conducted a joint training exercise last week in the skies over Morocco and at a British base, with U.S. B-52 bombers participating for the first time in the new fiscal year.
The exercise, named “Bomber Task Force 25-1,” took place at RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom, with B-52 bombers flying over Moroccan airspace on November 22, according to Air and Space Forces magazine.
The bombers, which are deployed in the Middle East, also participated in Operation “Inherent Resolve” on November 23, a U.S.-led mission to combat ISIS in Syria and Iraq. U.S. Air Force images showed F-15E fighters conducting combat patrols as part of the operation.
Two B-52 bombers later flew from RAF Fairford to Finland on November 25, where they simulated weapon drops during joint training with Swedish and Finnish fighter jets — marking the first-ever B-52 exercise over Finland.
In another development related to U.S.-Moroccan military cooperation, a delegation from the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces visited the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Al Hoceima.
The visit, led by General Mohamed Berrid, the Inspector General of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, was an opportunity for Moroccan officials to be briefed on the operational capabilities of the U.S. Navy’s fleet.
The Moroccan delegation was welcomed by Rear Admiral Sean R. Bailey, Commander of the U.S. Navy’s 6th Fleet, and Colonel Dave Snowden, Commanding Officer of the USS Harry Truman. During the visit, the Moroccan flag was raised on the aircraft carrier.
This joint training and high-level military engagement is yet another manifestation of the growing defense ties between Morocco and the United States, which have been strengthened through a series of joint exercises and collaborative defense initiatives.
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