The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Morocco of enhancements to 162 Abrams tanks for an estimated cost of $1.259 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on November 28, 2018.

Moroccan M1A1 Abrams (Picture source: MEDI1 TV)

The Government of Morocco has requested to purchase enhancements to one hundred sixty-two (162) Abrams tanks procured through the Excess Defense Article (EDA) program to one of the following variants: M1A1 Situational Awareness (baseline version), M1A2M (includes Commander’s Independent Thermal Viewer) or M1A1 U.S. Marine Corps version (includes Slew to Cue). Included in the possible sale are 162 M2 Chrysler Mount Machine Guns; 324 M240 Machine Guns; 1,035 M865 Training SABOT Rounds; and 1,610 M831Al HEAT Rounds. Also included are 162 Export Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS); 162 RT-1702 Receiver Transmitters; 162 M250 Smoke Grenade Launchers; M962 .50 caliber rounds; special armor; Hunter/Killer technology, which may include the Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer (CITV) or Slew to Cue solution; Commander’s Weapon Station Variant which may include the Commander’s Weapon Station (CWS), Stabilized Commander’s Weapon Station (SCWS), or Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station- Low Profile (CROW-LP); spare parts; support equipment; upgrade/maintenance of engines and transmissions; depot level support; Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE); repair parts; communication support equipment; tool and test equipment; training; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated program cost is $1.259 billion.