The Morocco defence budget is quoted at very different levels depending on the source: SIPRI measured military expenditure of $6.3 billion in 2025, while the draft finance law allocated MAD 157.171 billion, about $15.7 billion, to defence. Both figures are real, but they measure different things. This guide explains the gap, shows the spending trend, links the money to the main procurement programmes, and places Morocco against Algeria and the Global Firepower ranking. Every figure is attributed, and unverified numbers are labelled.
Morocco Defence Budget at a Glance
- SIPRI: $6.3 billion of military expenditure in 2025, up 6.6%, the second highest in Africa.
- Budget law: MAD 157.171 billion ($15.7 billion) in the latest draft finance law.
- defenceWeb: a defence budget of $15.3 billion, up 17.7% year on year.
- Global Firepower: a defence budget of $16.1 billion and a rank of 56th of 145.
- Algeria: $25.4 billion by SIPRI’s measure, about four times Morocco’s SIPRI figure.
Why Three Morocco Defence Budget Figures Circulate
SIPRI’s April fact sheet is a research series on military expenditure, while Morocco World News reported the allocation written into the draft finance law. The two are not interchangeable. The sources reviewed do not reconcile them, and SIPRI’s fact sheet does not break Morocco’s total down.
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Military expenditure, 2025 | $6.3 billion, up 6.6% | SIPRI |
| Defence allocation, latest draft finance law | MAD 157.171 billion ($15.7 billion) | Morocco World News |
| Defence budget, latest figure | $15.3 billion, up 17.7% | defenceWeb |
| Defence budget as listed in the index | $16.1 billion | Global Firepower |
For quoting, the safest practice is to name the source with each number. Cross-country comparisons are best made with a single research series such as SIPRI, while year-on-year changes in Moroccan appropriations are best tracked in the finance law itself. A SIPRI figure describes spending as SIPRI defines it, a finance-law figure describes appropriations, and an index figure is a third-party estimate.
Spending Trend: From MAD 124.7 Billion to MAD 157.171 Billion
Morocco World News puts the defence allocation at MAD 124.7 billion for 2024 and MAD 133 billion for 2025, before the draft law’s MAD 157.171 billion. That is about MAD 24 billion more than the previous year. The article says the money will fund the acquisition and repair of equipment for the Royal Armed Forces and support the domestic defence industry, but it gives no breakdown by programme.
The draft law also contains an advance-commitment clause. Article 34 lets the defence minister commit expenditure during the budget year against appropriations from the following year. Our report on the next finance bill’s military commitment ceiling covers how that mechanism continues.
What the Morocco Defence Budget Buys: Funded Programmes
The budget text does not itemise programmes in the sources reviewed, but public contracts show where money is going. The largest air force project is the F-16 Block 72. defenceWeb reported that Lockheed Martin announced the first flight of Morocco’s first Block 72 on 6 October 2026, with 25 jets approved in March 2019 and no delivery dates published. Our guide to F-16 Africa operators covers the fleet.
Other programmes are further along or at an earlier stage. Military Africa reported that a second batch of six Apache helicopters arrived on 7 April 2026, bringing deliveries to 12 of 24 ordered under a June 2020 contract worth about $1.5 billion. A September 2024 agreement covers 150 Tata WhAP 8×8 vehicles, of which the first five were delivered on 24 December 2025.
On 9 October 2026 EDGE Group and Morocco signed a contract for guided weapons for the air force, value undisclosed, as set out in our report on the EDGE precision weapons deal. On the naval side, the Netherlands approved a €13 million export licence for two uncrewed surface vessels, and Military Africa reported a formal evaluation of up to 400 South Korean K2 tanks, with no contract finalised at the time of its report. For the full equipment inventory, read our Morocco military arsenal profile.
| Programme | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| F-16 Block 72 | 25 jets approved in March 2019; first flight announced on 6 October; delivery dates not published | defenceWeb |
| F-16V upgrade | Upgrade of the existing 23 jets, estimated at $985.2 million, approved in the same 2019 package | defenceWeb |
| AH-64E Apache | 24 ordered in June 2020; at least 12 delivered by April | Military Africa |
| Tata WhAP 8×8 | 150 vehicles agreed in September 2024; first five delivered in December 2025 | Military Africa |
| EDGE guided weapons | Contract signed, value undisclosed | Military Africa |
| Dutch uncrewed surface vessels | Two vessels, export licence of €13 million | Military Africa |
| K2 tank | Evaluation of up to 400 reported, no contract | Military Africa |
Two cautions apply when reading the table. Contract values are usually announcement or approval figures and may change before final signature, as defenceWeb notes for the Block 72 sale. Delivery counts also move quickly, so the status column should be rechecked before any figure is reused.
Personnel and Force Size Behind the Budget
Published estimates give the army about 175,000 soldiers, the air force 13,000, the navy 7,800 including 1,500 marines, and the Royal Guard 3,500, a total near 199,000 across the four services. Reference listings add about 50,000 regular Royal Gendarmerie and 70,000 Auxiliary Forces within a wartime reserve and paramilitary pool of 250,000. Compulsory military service was reintroduced in 2018.
Global Firepower lists 400,000 active personnel, 250,000 reserve and 50,000 paramilitary. The active figure does not match the service totals, and the index does not explain its counting. Morocco does not publish a detailed breakdown, so all personnel numbers are estimates.
Defence Industry Incentives and Local Production
defenceWeb reports that the 2025 budget exempted defence firms from taxes and that Morocco has set up defence industrial zones. The Tata plant in the Casablanca area opened in September 2025, handles about 35% of production and has a stated maximum output of 100 vehicles a year. Lockheed Martin and Eaton-Souriau Tangiers formed Maintenance Aero Maroc in 2022 for F-16 and C-130H maintenance, and an Embraer agreement in 2024 covers the C-390 transport.
A memorandum of understanding between EDGE and Morocco’s defence administration covers possible local production of small arms and aero engines. It is exploratory only, and no manufacturing agreement has been announced.
Morocco Defence Budget Compared With Algeria and the Global Ranking
SIPRI reports that Algeria spent $25.4 billion in 2025, up 11%, equal to 25% of government spending and 8.8% of GDP. North Africa as a whole reached $35.0 billion, up 9.3%. SIPRI links both countries’ spending to tensions over Western Sahara, which escalated in 2025. On the Algerian side, defenceWeb counts more than 60 Su-30MKA and about 40 MiG-29 fighters and lists reported orders for 14 Su-34 and at least nine Su-35 aircraft.
The latest Global Firepower index ranks Morocco 56th of 145 with a PwrIndx score of 1.0368, where lower is stronger. Its Morocco page lists 271 aircraft including 84 fighters, 73 helicopters and 1,346 tanks. It is a commercial index built on estimated inputs, not government data. For Algeria’s side of the comparison, see our Algeria military strength guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Morocco’s defence budget?
It depends on the measure. SIPRI reports $6.3 billion of military expenditure for 2025. The latest draft finance law allocates MAD 157.171 billion, about $15.7 billion, to defence. The sources reviewed do not reconcile the two, so quote the source alongside each figure.
Is Morocco’s defence budget larger than Algeria’s?
No, by SIPRI’s measure. SIPRI puts Algeria at $25.4 billion for 2025, the largest in Africa, against $6.3 billion for Morocco, the second largest. Algeria also spends a higher share of GDP, at 8.8%. SIPRI does not give a GDP share for Morocco.
Why do Morocco defence budget figures differ so much?
Each source measures something different: SIPRI tracks military expenditure under its own definition, the finance law lists appropriations, and Global Firepower publishes a third-party estimate. None of the sources reviewed explains the gap, which is why every figure here is attributed.
Does the budget support local production?
Yes, according to the reporting reviewed. Morocco World News says the allocation supports the domestic defence industry, and defenceWeb reports tax exemptions and industrial zones. The Tata WhAP plant opened in September 2025 and has a stated maximum output of 100 vehicles a year.
Sources
- SIPRI, Trends in World Military Expenditure
- Morocco World News, Morocco increases defense budget to $15.7 billion
- Global Firepower, Morocco military strength
- defenceWeb, Morocco pushing military aviation overhaul amid Algerian arms race
- defenceWeb, First Moroccan F-16 Block 72 takes to the air ahead of deliveries
- Military Africa, Morocco manufactures first 20 WhAP armoured vehicles
- Military Africa, Morocco evaluates South Korean K2 Black Panther
- Military Africa, Morocco receives second batch of AH-64E Apache helicopters
- Military Africa, EDGE and Morocco sign drone weapons contract and production MoU
- Military Africa, Morocco orders Dutch USVs for counter-mine and anti-submarine missions