# Royal Moroccan Navy

The Royal Navy of Morocco (Arabic: القوات البحرية الملكية المغربية) 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

| Rank group | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Royal Moroccan Navy vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Royal Moroccan Navy vte | | | Amiral | Amiral | Vice-amiral d'escadre | Vice-amiral d'escadre | Vice-amiral | Vice-amiral | Contre-amiral | Contre-amiral | Capitaine de vaisseau-major | Capitaine de vaisseau | Capitaine de frégate | Capitaine de frégate | Capitaine de corvette | Capitaine de corvette | Lieutenant de vaisseau | Lieutenant de vaisseau | Enseigne de vaisseau de 1$^{re}$ classe | Enseigne de vaisseau de 1$^{re}$ classe | Enseigne de vaisseau de 1$^{re}$ classe | Enseigne de vaisseau de 2$^e$ classe | Enseigne de vaisseau de 2$^e$ classe | Enseigne de vaisseau de 2$^e$ classe |

### Enlisted

| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Royal Moroccan Navy vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No insignia | No insignia |
| Royal Moroccan Navy vte | Maître principal | Maître principal | Maître principal | Maître principal | Maître principal | Maître principal | Premier maître | Premier maître | Maître | Maître | Second-maître de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Second-maître de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Second-maître de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Second-maître de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Second-maître de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Second-maître de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Second-maître de 2$^{ème}$ classe | Second-maître de 2$^{ème}$ classe | Second-maître de 2$^{ème}$ classe | Second-maître de 2$^{ème}$ classe | Second-maître de 2$^{ème}$ classe | Second-maître de 2$^{ème}$ classe | Quartier-maître de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Quartier-maître de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Quartier-maître de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Quartier-maître de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Quartier-maître de 2$^{ème}$ classe | Quartier-maître de 2$^{ème}$ classe | Matelot de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Matelot de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Matelot de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Matelot de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Matelot de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Matelot de 1$^{ère}$ classe | Matelot | Matelot |

## Bases

The main bases of the Royal Moroccan Navy are located in:
* Casablanca
* Al Hoceima
* Dakhla
* Agadir
* Ksar Sghir
* Laayoune
* Tangier

## Equipment
### Warships

| Class | No. | Ship | Origin | Year Commissioned | Note |
| Frigates (6) |||||||
| FREMM | 701 | Mohammed VI | France/ Italy | 2014 | ASW version |
| Floréal | 611 | Mohammed V | France | 2002 | |
| Floréal | 612 | Hassan II | France | 2002 | |
| Sigma | 613 | Tarik Ben Ziyad | Netherlands | 2011 | Sigma 10513 version (Frigate) |
| Sigma | 614 | Sultan Moulay Ismail | Netherlands | 2012 | Sigma 9813 version (multi mission frigate) |
| Sigma | 615 | Allal Ben Abdellah | Netherlands | 2012 | Sigma 9813 Version (multi mission frigate) |
| Corvettes (1) |||||||
| Descubierta | 501 | Lieutenant-Colonel Errahmani | Spain | 1983 | Updated in 2014 |
| Missile boats (4) |||||||
| Lazaga | 304 | El Khattabi | Spain | 1981 | |
| Lazaga | 305 | Commandant Boutouba | Spain | 1981 | |
| Lazaga | 306 | Commandant El Harty | Spain | 1982 | |
| Lazaga | 307 | Commandant Azouggarh | Spain | 1982 | |
| Patrol boats (18) |||||||
| OPV-70 | 341 | Bir Anzaran | France | 2011 | 4 under construction |
| OPV-64 | 318 | Raïs Bargach | France | 1995 | |
| OPV-64 | 319 | Raïs Britel | France | 1996 | |
| OPV-64 | 320 | Raïs Charkaoui | France | 1996 | |
| OPV-64 | 321 | Raïs Maaninou | France | 1997 | |
| OPV-64 | 322 | Raïs Al Mounastiri | France | 1997 | |
| Osprey 55 | 308 | El Lahiq | Denmark | 1987 | |
| Osprey 55 | 309 | El Tawfiq | Denmark | 1988 | |
| Osprey 55 | 316 | El Hamiss | Denmark | 1990 | |
| Osprey 55 | 317 | El Karib | Denmark | 1990 | |
| Cormoran | 310 | Lieutenant De Vaisseau Rabhi | f | 1988 | |
| Cormoran | 311 | Errachiq | | 1988 | |
| Cormoran | 312 | El Akid | | 1989 | |
| Cormoran | 313 | El Maher | | 1989 | |
| Cormoran | 314 | El Majid | | 1989 | |
| Cormoran | 315 | El Bachir | | 1989 | |
| PR-72 | 302 | Okba | France | 1976 | |
| PR-72 | 303 | Triki | France | 1977 | |
| Damen Interceptor 1503 | 1-5 | TBD | Netherlands | 2016 | 5 under construction for Coast Guard Duties, capable of 60 knots (110 km/h; 69 mph) |
| Fearless 36 | | 12 Boats | | | |

### Amphibious and auxiliary vessels

| Class | No. | Ship | Year commissioned | Note |
| Amphibious ships ||||||
| BATRAL | 402 | Daoud Ben Aicha | 1977 | |
| BATRAL | 403 | Ahmed Es Sakali | 1977 | |
| BATRAL | 404 | Abou Abdallah El Ayachi | 1978 | |
| LCT | 409 | Sidi Ifni | | Landing craft tank |
| Support ships ||||||
| Hydrographic and oceanographic boat | 804 | Dar Al Beida | 2018 | Used to chart the underwater coastal area |
| Ad Dakhla CLS | 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 | 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 | Origin | Mission | In Service | Note |
| Maritime patrol aircraft ||||||
| Britten-Norman Defender | United Kingdom | Maritime patrol aircraft | 14 | Operated by the Royal Moroccan Air Force |
| Beech King Air | United States | Maritime patrol aircraft | 4 | Two more were delivered in 2020. They are all of the 350ER versions |
| Helicopters ||||||
| Eurocopter AS565 MA | France | Naval Military utility | 3 | Operated by the Royal Moroccan Navy |
| Bell 412 MA | United States | Anti-submarine helicopter | 24 | 24 ordered by the Royal Moroccan Navy |

## Notable sailors

* 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

* Descubierta class Lieutenant-Colonel Errahmani
* Descubierta class Lieutenant-Colonel Errahmani
* Descubierta class Lieutenant-Colonel Errahmani
* Floréal class Mohammed V
* OPV-64 Raïs Al Mounastiri
* OPV-64 Rais Charkaoui
* AS565 MA Panther of the RMN
* Eurocopter AS565 MA Panther of the RMN
* Lazaga class Commandant Azouggarh
* BATRAL LST Abou Abdallah El Ayachi
* Newport class Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah (inactive)
* Moroccan Maritime Interdiction Operation (MIO) team during multi-national exercise Phoenix Express 2007.
* Marines from Morocco during exercise Phoenix Express 2009.
* Moroccan sailors conduct boarding exercises.
* Moroccan maritime interdiction operations team on basic close quarter battle training in Exercise Phoenix Express 2010.