Morocco will receive the upgraded M1 Abrams

[The SC]

We just tend to forget, but it does not take much for Morocco (31 million ) has an armored force numerically superior to that of France. Rabat can now align in theory a fleet of several hundred T-72 and M60. The purchase of tanks in 2010 "Al Khalid" of Sino-Pakistani was also discussed. It is true that in the face, Algeria lines up for its fleet an impressive (on paper) with 325 T-72 plus an additional term to 300 T-90.

Morocco has now formalize a request for acquisition of 200 M1 Abrams directly from U.S. stocks and that would be charged at standard M1A1-SA (Special Armor). Moroccan demand also covers a large number of equipment (machine guns, radios, ammunition ...) and technical support undertaking that may increase the overall volume of the contract to more than one billion dollars. Like Leopard arsenals from German and Dutch, the Abrams continues a successful career on the second hand market. This benefits for the United States and who are the way to get rid of bulky stocks while turning their arsenal of Lima (Ohio) involved in the renovation materials. Significant consequence of this contract, the U.S. increased a little more military-industrial footprint in Morocco. A severe blow had already been struck in 2009 to the French influence with the sale of 24 F-16C / D in the Moroccan air force ...

http://www.asian-defence.com/2012/06/morocco-will-receive-upgraded-m1-abrams.html#.UChG-c8y7Gs

 

[The SC]

Chinese Tanks In North Africa

August 3, 2010: Without any fanfare at all, Morocco has bought 150 Chinese VT1A/MBT 2000 tanks. These are export versions of the Type 98/99, although they also look similar to the Type 90/Al Khalid (a Type 90 variant developed by China and Pakistan for Pakistani service). The most modern tanks China has are the Type 98 and 99, which come close to matching early models of the U.S. M-1. Compared to the Type 98/99, the VT1A is a 14 percent lighter (at 49 tons) tank. It has a three man crew and an auto-loader for its 125mm gun. There is a 7.62 coaxial machine-gun and a 12.7mm machine-gun on top of the turret. The 1200 horsepower engine moves the VT1A at road speeds of up to 70 kilometers an hour. Range on the road is 450 kilometers. Armor is a combination of composite and ERA (explosive reactive armor). The VT1A lacks the most modern ERA and some of the electronics found on the latest Chinese models (98 and 99).

Armor: Chinese Tanks In North Africa