Royal Moroccan Navy

The Royal Moroccan Navy of Morocco (Template:Langx) is a branch of the military of Morocco responsible for conducting naval operations. The Royal Moroccan Navy is administratively managed by the Administration of Defence, which is (de facto) commanded by King Mohammed VI, the commander-in-chief of the Moroccan Armed Forces.

Mission

The Royal Moroccan Navy is part of the Moroccan Armed Forces. Its mission includes the protection of Moroccan territory and sovereignty, as well as the control of Morocco's 81,000-square-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone. Given Morocco's significant coastline (2,952 km) and strategic position overseeing the Strait of Gibraltar, it (along with Spain and the United Kingdom) is deeply involved in the security of this important international waterway.

History

The history of the modern Royal Moroccan Navy began in 1960 with its foundation by King Mohammed V. The first admiral of the modern Moroccan Navy was Vice Admiral Mohammed Triki, who held the position as the Commander in Chief of the Royal Moroccan Navy for 14 years from 1991 to 2005, and devoted 46 years of services to the Moroccan Navy. Vice Admiral Triki was awarded these decorations: (from Morocco) Legion of the Order of Commander, Knight of the Order of the Throne by his majesty King Hassan II; (from France) Legion of Honor by President Jacques Chirac; (from USA) Legion of Merit by President Bill Clinton; and (from Spain) Legion of Merit. Although the modern Royal Navy was structured following independence, the Moroccan naval military traces its roots back to the 11th century, with the rise of the Almoravid dynasty, and its ambition for naval hegemony in the Mediterranean Sea. Admiral Abdullah Ben Meimoun is credited for being the first commander of the Almoravid dynasty organized naval forces. With the Almohad dynasty taking over most of northern Africa, together with Al-Andalus, the Almohad dynasty navy soon became the "first fleet of the Mediterranean". At its peak, the Almohad navy's military reputation was well known, inciting Ayyubid dynasty Egypt and Saladin to seek its help in preventing Crusades expeditions. The 16th century had the starting decline of the Moroccan state and consequently the navy that served it. The capture of major coastal cities and locations by Spain and Portugal significantly affected Morocco's naval capabilities.

Ranks

Officers

Template:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Air Forces/OF/BlankTemplate:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Navies/OF/Morocco

Enlisted

Template:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Air Forces/OR/BlankTemplate:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Navies/OR/Morocco

Bases

The main bases of the Royal Moroccan Navy are located in:

• Casablanca
• Al Hoceima
• Dakhla
• Agadir
• Ksar Sghir
• Laayoune
• Tangier

Equipment

Warships

Class	Photo	No.	Ship	Origin	Year Commissioned	Note
Frigates (6)
FREMM	File:FREMM Mohammed VI - Lorient 2013-05.JPG	701	Mohammed VI	/	2014	ASW version
	File:US Navy 050405-N-3557N-112 The Moroccan Navy Floreal-class frigates, Muhammed V (FFGHM 611) and Hassan II (FFGHM 612) conduct maneuvers with the ships assigned to the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) Expeditionary Strike Group.jpg	611			2002
		612			2002
	File:Tarik Ben Ziad 06.jpg	613			2011	Sigma 10513 version (Frigate)
		614			2012	Sigma 9813 version (multi mission frigate)
		615			2012	Sigma 9813 Version (multi mission frigate)
Corvettes (1)
	Descubierta class Lieutenant Colonel Errahmani	501	Lieutenant-Colonel Errahmani	Template:Flagicon Spain	1983	Updated in 2014
Missile boats (4)
	File:307 Commandant Azouggarh, 2010.jpg	304	El Khattabi		1981
		305	Commandant Boutouba		1981
		306	Commandant El Harty		1982
		307	Commandant Azouggarh		1982
Patrol boats (18)
OPV-70	341 Bir Anzaran	341	Bir Anzaran		2011	4 under construction
OPV-64	322 Raïs Al Mounastiri.	318	Raïs Bargach		1995
		319	Raïs Britel		1996
		320	Raïs Charkaoui		1996
		321	Raïs Maaninou		1997
		322	Raïs Al Mounastiri		1997
	File:20080702-Faliron P-19 HS Navmachos.jpg	308	El Lahiq		1987
		309	El Tawfiq		1988
		316	El Hamiss		1990
		317	El Karib		1990
	File:310 – Lieutenant De Vaisseau Rabhi.jpg	310	Lieutenant De Vaisseau Rabhi	f	1988
		311	Errachiq		1988
		312	El Akid		1989
		313	El Maher		1989
		314	El Majid		1989
		315	El Bachir		1989
	File:PR-72 class.jpg	302	Okba		1976
		303	Triki		1977
Damen Interceptor 1503	File:Interceptor 1503.jpg	1-5	TBD		2016	5 under construction for Coast Guard Duties, capable of
Fearless 36			12 Boats

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Amphibious and auxiliary vessels

Class	Photo	No.	Ship	Year commissioned	Note
Amphibious ships
	File:404 Abou Abdallah El Ayachi.JPG	402	Daoud Ben Aicha	1977
		403	Ahmed Es Sakali	1977
		404	Abou Abdallah El Ayachi	1978
LCT	File:LCT50M.jpg	409	Sidi Ifni		Landing craft tank
Support ships
Hydrographic and oceanographic boat	File:B2m .jpg	804	Dar Al Beida	2018	Used to chart the underwater coastal area
Ad Dakhla CLS	File:Daoud Ben Aicha.jpg	408	Daoud Ben Aicha	1997	Cargo ship which has a displacement of 2100 tons
Hydrographic research boat		H-01	H-01	2011	Used to chart the underwater coastal area.
Damen Stan Tug 2208	File:Al-Mounkid .jpg	A2	Al Mounkid	2015	Coastal & harbour tug
BBP		803	BBP		Submariner training ship

Inshore patrol vessels

• P-32
  • El Wacil (203)
  • El Jail (204)
  • El Mikdam (205)
  • El Khafir (206)
  • El Haris (207)
  • Essahir (208)
  • Erraid (209)
  • Erraced (210)
  • El Kaced (211)
  • Essaid (212)
• VCSM/RPB 20 (107-116)
• Rodman-101 (130-139)
• Arcor-46 (D01-D18) In Service with Moroccan Customs
• 15 Arcor-53 In Service with Moroccan Gendarmerie
• 2 Griffon 500TD hovercraft In service with Moroccan Gendarmerie
• 10 Rodman-55
• 10 Arcor-17
  • • No boats of this class have been built yet. Russia has offered the sub for sale to India, but in 2005, India ordered Scorpène-class submarines instead. On 4 July 2013, Rosoboronexport announced they will offer the Amur 1650 to the Moroccan Navy if they announce a tender for new submarines.[5]

Aircraft

Aircraft	Photo	Origin	Mission	In Service	Note
Maritime patrol aircraft
Britten-Norman Defender			Maritime patrol aircraft	14	Operated by the Royal Moroccan Air Force
Beech King Air			Maritime patrol aircraft	4	Two more were delivered in 2020. They are all of the 350ER versions
Helicopters
Eurocopter AS565 MA			Naval Military utility	3	Operated by the Royal Moroccan Navy
Bell 412 MA			Anti-submarine helicopter	24	24 ordered by the Royal Moroccan Navy

Notable sailors

File:Ambassador Admiral Abelkader Perez 1723 1737.jpg

Abdelkader Perez, Admiral and an ambassador to England in 1723.

• Abdellah Ben Soleïman, commander of the Almohad fleet under sultan Abd al-Mu'min.
• Abdellah Ben Taâ Allah, commander of the Almohad fleet under Muhammad an-Nasir and governor of Majorca.
• Abdellah Ben Aïcha, admiral of Salé, ambassador to king Louis XIV of France in 1689.
• Abdelkader Perez, ambassador to England in 1723 and again in 1737.
• Corsair Triki of Salé, 17th century.
• Vice Admiral Mohammed Triki of Safi, Commander in Chief of the Royal Moroccan Navy from July 1991 to June 2005.

Gallery

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  Lieutenant-Colonel Errahmani
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  Lieutenant-Colonel Errahmani
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  Lieutenant-Colonel Errahmani
• Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Mohammed V
  Mohammed V
• OPV-64 Raïs Al Mounastiri
  OPV-64 Raïs Al Mounastiri
• OPV-64 Rais Charkaoui
  OPV-64 Rais Charkaoui
• AS565 MA Panther of the RMN
  AS565 MA Panther of the RMN
• Eurocopter AS565 MA Panther of the RMN
  Eurocopter AS565 MA Panther of the RMN
• Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Commandant Azouggarh
  Commandant Azouggarh
• Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". LST Abou Abdallah El Ayachi
  LST Abou Abdallah El Ayachi
• Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah (inactive)
  Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah (inactive)
• Moroccan Maritime Interdiction Operation (MIO) team during multi-national exercise Phoenix Express 2007.
  Moroccan Maritime Interdiction Operation (MIO) team during multi-national exercise Phoenix Express 2007.
• Marines from Morocco during exercise Phoenix Express 2009.
  Marines from Morocco during exercise Phoenix Express 2009.
• Moroccan sailors conduct boarding exercises.
  Moroccan sailors conduct boarding exercises.
• Moroccan maritime interdiction operations team on basic close quarter battle training in Exercise Phoenix Express 2010.
  Moroccan maritime interdiction operations team on basic close quarter battle training in Exercise Phoenix Express 2010.

See also

• Military of Morocco