Royal Moroccan Navy

البحرية الملكية (Arabic) Adwas Ageldan n Yilel (Berber) Marine royale (French)
Moroccan Royal Navy Seal
Active	1960 - Present
Country	Morocco
Allegiance	Kingdom of Morocco
Branch	Navy
Type	Navy
Size	7,800 perssonel (includes 1,500 Marines)
Part of	Administration of Defence إدارة الدفاع
Headquarters	Rabat-Salé
Anniversaries	April 1st (foundation)
Equipment	89 vessels 17 aircraft
Commanders
Inspector General of the Navy	RADM Mohammed Laghmari
Ceremonial chief	King Mohammed VI
Insignia
Naval Ensign
Naval Jack
Aircraft flown
Helicopter	AS565 Panther

The Royal Navy of Morocco (Arabic language: البحرية الملكية‎, Berber: Adwas Ageldan n Yilel, French) is a branch of the military of Morocco responsible of 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 oversseing the strait of Gibraltar, it (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 begins in 1960 with its foundation by King Mohammed V. The first Admiral of the modern Royal Navy was Vice Admiral Mohammed Triki, who held the position as the Chief of Staff of the Royal Moroccan Navy for 14 years. 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 would soon become 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 saw 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 much affected Morocco's naval capabilities. Later on, under pressure from a coalition of European powers, Sultan Slimane dismantled the last remanents of the Moroccan Navy.

Bases

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

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

Equipment

Warships

Class	Photo	No.	Ship	Year Commissioned	Note
Frigates
FREMM Frigate		701	Mohammed VI	2013	To be delivered
FMMM		613	Tarik Ben Ziyad	2011	Sigma 10513 Version
		614	Sultan Moulay Ismail	2012	Sigma 9813 Version.
		615	Allal Ben Abdellah	2012	Sigma 9813 Version.
Floréal		611	Mohammed V	2002
		612	Hassan II	2003
Corvettes
Descubierta Class		501	Lieutenant-Colonel Errahmani	1983	It will be replaced by the FREMM
Offshore patrol vessels
OPV-70		341	Bir Anzaran	2011
		342		2012-2013	Under construction.
		343		2012-2013	Under construction.
		344		2013-2014	Under construction.
OPV-64		318	Raïs Bargach	1995
		319	Raïs Britel	1996
		320	Raïs Charkaoui	1996
		321	Raïs Maaninou	1997
		322	Raïs Al Mounastiri	1997
Osprey 55 class		308	El Lahiq	1987
		309	El Tawfiq	1988
		316	El Hamiss	1990
		317	El Karib	1990
Lazaga Class		304	El Khattabi	1981
		305	Commandant Boutouba	1981
		306	Commandant El Harty	1982
		307	Commandant Azouggarh	1982
Cormoran Class		310	Lieutenant De Vaisseau Rabhi	1988
		311	Errachiq	1988
		312	El Akid	1989
		313	El Maher	1989
		314	El Majid	1989
		315	El Bachir	1989
PR-72 Class		302	Okba	1976
		303	Triki	1977

Amphibious and auxiliary vessels

Class	Photo	No.	Ship	Year Commissioned	Note
Amphibious ships
BATRAL LST		402	Daoud Ben Aicha	1977
		403	Ahmed Es Sakali	1977
		404	Abou Abdallah El Ayachi	1978
Support ships
Ad Dakhla CLS		408	Daoud Ben Aicha	1997	coastal logistics ship
Hydrographic research boat		H-01	H-01	2011	Used to chart the underwater coastal area.
Robert D. Conrad class		802	Abou Barakat Albarbari	1993	Oceanographic research ship. Ex-T-AGOR-13
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 (131-139)
• 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

Aircraft

Main article: List of active Moroccan military aircraft

Aircraft	Photo	Mission	In Service	Note
Maritime patrol aircraft
Britten-Norman Defender		Maritime patrol aircraft	14	Operated by the Royal Moroccan Air Force
Helicopters
Eurocopter AS565 MA		Naval Military utility	3

Notable sailors

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

• 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.
• 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
• Corsair Triki of Salé, 17th century.

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

Lazaga Class Commandant Azouggarh

Batral LST Abou Abdallah El Ayachi

Newport TLS Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah (Inactive)

Moroccan sailors in parade.jpg

Moroccan sailors on parade during the Royal Armed Forces' 50th Anniversary.

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.

See also

• Military of Morocco

References

• Baker III, A. D. (1998). Combat Fleets of the World 1998-1999. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-111-4.