The US Department of War has awarded Lockheed Martin a new contract worth up to $31.291 million for engineering services and technical assistance to several countries, including Morocco. The contract, signed on Monday, runs until June 30, 2029. It follows an earlier agreement that expired on June 30, 2026 and was explicitly linked to F-16 fighter aircraft.
The new deal, however, does not itself mention the F-16. It covers engineering advice and technical assistance for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, with services to be provided at Hill Air Force Base in Utah and in countries including Morocco, Bahrain, Chile, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Oman, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey.
The contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin without competition.
The $31.291 million is a ceiling for the multi-country contract, rather than money allocated exclusively to Morocco. At the time of the award, $297,008 in FMS funding had been committed, with no breakdown by country.
The US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio will oversee the contract.
The new contract is closely linked to the technical support framework for F-16 operators, although the latest award notice does not explicitly name the aircraft.
Its predecessor, awarded to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in June 2023 for $22.895 million, specifically covered engineering assistance and technical services “in support of F-16 aircraft”.
That contract covered 11 countries, including Morocco, and ended on June 30, 2026. The new agreement retains the same beneficiaries except Pakistan.
Morocco has been modernising its F-16 fleet as part of a wider effort to strengthen its air force.
The US approved a package worth nearly $4.8 billion in 2019 covering the purchase of 25 new F-16 Block 72 aircraft for $3.787 billion and the upgrade of 23 existing F-16 Block 52 jets for $985 million.
The upgraded aircraft are equipped with systems including the Northrop Grumman APG-83 AESA radar, advanced cockpit displays and an automatic ground collision avoidance system.
The upgrades are also intended to extend the aircraft’s structural life to up to 12,000 flight hours.
Morocco has also been developing domestic capabilities to maintain its military aircraft.
An 8,000-square-metre maintenance facility has been established at Benslimane Airport through a partnership involving MEDZ, Lockheed Martin and Maintenance Aero Maroc.
The centre is intended to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services for Morocco’s F-16 fighters and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
At the facility’s groundbreaking ceremony, Lockheed Martin Vice President for International Affairs Ray Piselli said: “This collaboration goes beyond building industrial capabilities. It creates highly qualified jobs, stimulates industrial growth in Morocco and strengthens the ties between our nations.”
The move is part of Morocco’s broader push to develop domestic defence-industry capabilities alongside major foreign arms purchases.
Morocco has also acquired 24 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and is procuring 10 Airbus H225M heavy transport helicopters.
Under the previous FMS framework, Morocco received a specific order worth $212,136 for engineering and technical support between January and June 2026.
The new contract leaves most of its $31.291 million ceiling available for future task orders through June 2029.
