Could Morocco extend its defense partnership with France from helicopters to submarines?.

According to H24 Info on September 10, 2025, Morocco is reported to be engaged in negotiations to acquire its first submarines, with French offers considered among the leading options. This development follows the confirmed order of ten Airbus H225M Caracal helicopters signed on September 1, 2025, which itself was part of a wider modernization drive across Morocco’s armed forces.
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France’s Naval Group was previously reported to have proposed two Scorpène-class submarines and to seek a concession to operate a new shipyard in Casablanca, building on ties that include delivery of the multi-mission frigate Mohammed VI in 2014. (Picture source: Wikimedia/Mak Hon Keong)

Discussions on submarines have gained traction due to Morocco’s strategic need to cover 3,500 kilometers of Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, protect an Exclusive Economic Zone estimated at 81,000 square nautical miles, and reinforce naval capabilities in a region marked by competition with Algeria and security challenges in the western Mediterranean and the Strait of Gibraltar. Strategic and military analyst Abderrahmane Mekkaoui has commented that he cannot confirm nor deny the submarine negotiations, but stressed that the absence of public confirmation does not mean there is no substance to the reports.

He explained that Morocco’s defense doctrine increasingly emphasizes maritime security as depth for its overall defense posture. He referred to Algeria’s submarine fleet, composed of eight Russian-built vessels of about 1,360 tonnes, four of which are reportedly operational and based just 150 kilometers from Morocco, as a regional factor shaping Rabat’s considerations. He recalled that Morocco previously held exploratory talks with Russia, Greece, and Brazil about submarine acquisitions, and said that the Royal Armed Forces have contacted major submarine-exporting countries over the years.

France’s Naval Group has formally proposed Scorpène-class submarines to Morocco. The Scorpène is a conventional diesel-electric submarine designed for stealth, intelligence, and attack missions against surface and underwater targets, with a displacement between 1,600 and 2,000 tonnes depending on the variant. It is equipped with six 533 mm torpedo tubes and can carry up to 18 weapons, including torpedoes and anti-ship missiles. Its systems include French combat management platforms and sonar suites such as the Thales S-Cube. Certain variants incorporate lithium-ion batteries and air-independent propulsion (AIP) modules to extend underwater endurance. Naval Group emphasizes modularity and the possibility of local industrial participation, with offers including the management of a new shipyard in Casablanca. The company has a long-standing relationship with Morocco, having delivered the multi-mission FREMM frigate Mohammed VI in 2014 for €470 million.

Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) is also competing with two alternatives. The HDW Class Dolphin AIP, displacing approximately 2,050 tonnes and measuring about 68 meters in length, features fuel-cell-based air-independent propulsion that allows for extended submerged operations lasting weeks, with a low acoustic signature. It is equipped with six 533 mm torpedo tubes and four larger 650 mm tubes for torpedoes, missiles, or mines, integrated with the ISUS 90-1 combat system from STN Atlas Elektronik. The HDW 209/1400mod, measuring 61 meters and displacing 1,450 tonnes, is an older but widely exported model with diesel-electric propulsion, six 533 mm tubes, and the capacity to launch 14 weapons. More than 60 units have been delivered to 14 navies since the 1970s, making it one of the most proven designs in its category. TKMS markets this dual offer as a balance between high-technology endurance and reliable, cost-effective service.

Other options remain under consideration. Russia has revived its proposal of the Amur 1650, a fourth-generation diesel-electric submarine with a length of 67 meters, a displacement of around 1,650 tonnes, a crew of 18, a cruising speed of up to 20 knots, and an endurance of 45 days. Its design includes four 533 mm torpedo tubes with a 16-torpedo reserve, and 10 vertical launchers for missiles. One partially completed Amur hull has remained unfinished at Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg since 2005. Greece and Portugal, meanwhile, have proposed second-hand submarines, possibly of German Type 214 lineage, as a cost-saving alternative. Reports indicate that Russia even offered Rabat two partially built Amur 1600 submarines originally intended for the Russian Navy. The variety of offers highlights Rabat’s options, ranging from new-build advanced designs to refurbished older units.

The submarine debate is framed by Morocco’s regional security context. Algeria operates Kilo-class submarines of the 877EKM and 636.1/636.3 variants, some armed with Klub-S (Kalibr) cruise missiles with ranges up to 2,400 kilometers at speeds near Mach 3. Algerian exercises have demonstrated cruise missile launches against land targets, with rapid torpedo reloading reportedly as short as 15 seconds. Spain operates a single Agosta-class Galerna submarine while awaiting four new S-80 class boats. France fields ten nuclear-powered submarines, including four ballistic-missile boats. In this environment, analysts argue that Morocco would need at least two to three submarines to guarantee permanent patrol capacity when accounting for maintenance and transit periods. The submarine purchase is presented as a long-standing ambition for Morocco’s Royal Navy, which currently ranks 25th globally, fields 121 vessels, including six frigates, one corvette, and about 18 offshore patrol vessels, but has no submarine capability.

These naval projects coincide with significant modernization efforts in Morocco’s air and land forces. On September 1, 2025, Rabat signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters for ten H225M Caracal helicopters. Reports indicate this followed months of negotiations that were facilitated by France’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara and discussions during President Emmanuel Macron’s 2024 visit to Morocco. The Caracals are multi-role helicopters configured for troop transport, search and rescue, and special operations infiltration and exfiltration. They will replace an aging helicopter fleet with an average age above 47 years, including 24 SA.330 Puma, 24 AB-205 Huey, two Bell 212, and ten CH-47D Chinook. The H225M has a 1,200 km range, in-flight refueling compatibility with Morocco’s KC-130H Hercules tankers, and operational flexibility. Morocco thus becomes the largest African operator of the H225M, while Tanzania already flies two Caracal. These helicopters will join recent acquisitions that include AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, F-16 fighters, Embraer transports, and modernized C-130s.

Alongside submarine and helicopter procurement, Morocco has explored building maritime drones to complement surveillance and coastal defense. The Royal Moroccan Navy is also evaluating anti-submarine and maritime patrol aircraft, with the Leonardo ATR 72 MPA and Airbus C-295 MPA as candidates. The defense budget for 2025 is reported at 133 billion dirhams, about $13 billion, financed partly through international markets. Analysts stress that these acquisitions are not positioned as offensive measures but as defensive modernization, aimed at ensuring sovereignty, covering vast territory and maritime zones, and contributing to coalition operations. Mekkaoui notes that Morocco’s approach is not limited to hardware purchases but extends to a doctrinal shift toward integrated systems covering terrestrial, aerial, maritime, and cyber domains, and that domestic defense industry development, such as Berrechid’s tank unit and local ammunition production, is accelerating.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.