Morocco’s 2023 acquisition of HIMARS launchers and ATACMS missiles is moving forward, with Lockheed Martin contracted to manufacture the systems for the North African nation.
In April last year, the United States approved two foreign military sales to Morocco, for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and Joint Stand Off Weapons (JSOW) collectively worth over $750 million.
Morocco requested to buy 18 M142 HIMARS launchers along with nine M1152A1 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV), practice rocket pods, radios, 18 FMTV resupply vehicles, three FMTV wrecker trucks, 18 M1095 trailers and other equipment. Along with ammunition, the sale value is $524 million.
Morocco wanted to arm the HIMARS launchers with 40 M57 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) rounds; 36 M31A2 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) Unitary rounds; and 36 M30A2 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) Alternative Warhead rounds.
The ATACMS is essentially a short-range ballistic missile, able to reach targets out to a maximum of 300 km. The GMLRS Unitary round has a range of 70 km and carries a 100 kg warhead, providing precision strike for point targets. The GMLRS Alternative Warhead round has a range of more than 70 km and carries a 100 kg fragmenting warhead. One HIMARS vehicle can carry a six-pack of GMLRS rockets or one ATACMS missile.
On 2 July, the US Department of Defence announced that Lockheed Martin had been awarded a $226 million contract for ATACMS for Morocco, Estonia, Latvia, and Poland. Work will continue through December 2028.
Morocco is now set to be the first North African country to receive the system – only Jordan and the United Arab Emirates possess the Lockheed Martin-manufactured rocket launcher in the region. HIMARS has been delivered to Ukraine, where it has proven effective against Russian forces.
The HIMARS will complement WS-2D multiple rocket launchers Morocco acquired from China six years ago. The WS-2D has a range of 400 km and can carry a 200 kg warhead. Up to six rockets can be launched from a single launcher. Morocco also acquired a dozen PHL-03 (AR-2) 300 mm multiple rocket launchers from China over a decade ago.
