The program of modernization of tanks M1A1 Abrams of the army of MoroccoOn November 28, 2018, the United States Department of Defense Defense Cooperation Agency (DSCA) forwarded to the US Congress a notice on the planned implementation of the modernization program of 162 previously delivered main tanks of M1A1 Abrams of the Moroccan army through the US program of intergovernmental military sales. . The modernization program is approved by the US State Department. The estimated cost of the modernization program for tanks is estimated at $ 1.259 billion.
![Royal Moroccan Armed Forces 6242733_original](https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/bmpd/38024980/6242733/6242733_original.jpg)
According to the notification, it is planned to upgrade 162 Moroccan M1A1 Abrams tanks, supplied from the presence of the US Army, in one of three options (which must still be selected): M1A1 Situational Awareness, M1A2M (with the installation of an independent thermal sight Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer - CITV) or M1A1 in the version for the US Marine Corps (including the fire control system with the function of the automatic tracking device "Slew to Cue").
In addition to the proposed to supply the relevant equipment for the modernization of tanks in one of the three specified versions, it is also expected to supply 1035 training sub-caliber M865 tank shots and 1610 training cumulative tank shots M831A1 (all caliber 120 mm).
The general contractor of the modernization of Moroccan tanks will be General Dynamics Corporation. Work will be carried out at Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC) in Lima, Ohio, and at the tank repair plant of the US Army Anniston Army Depot (ANAD) in Enniston (Alabama), operated by General Dynamics.
From the side of bmpd, we recall that on June 8, 2012, DSCA announced the notification to the US Congress of the upcoming delivery of Morocco’s FMS line to 200 M1A1 Abrams tanks in M1A1 Special Armor (SA) configuration for a total estimated amount of $ 1.015 billion. Tanks should have been taken from the presence of the US Army followed by repair and modernization and delivered to Morocco as part of the program for the transfer abroad of surplus weapons and military equipment Excess Defense Article (EDA) on the grant, which the US Congress was notified on April 27, 2012.
In August 2015, Ohio State Senator Rob Portman announced a fully prepared agreement for the supply of Morocco to 222 M1A1 Abrams tanks from the presence of the US Army through the FMS. A total of 222 M1A1 tanks, confirmed by the official website of the US Army in October 2018, confirmed the planned remaining of Morocco. However, the now issued DSCA notice provides for the modernization of only 162 Moroccan M1A1 tanks from those planned for delivery.
The first 72 M1A1 tanks for Morocco were repaired and modernized at the ANAD tank repair plant in Enniston, while the manufacture of new "export" towers for them was carried out at the only US tank factory in the US, which is owned by the American government, located in Lima (Ohio) but since 1996 managed by General Dynamics Corporation. The first modernized M1A1 tanks were delivered by sea to Morocco in April 2016. On July 26, 2016, an official ceremony was held at the Central Base for the Storage and Supply of the Armed Forces of Morocco for the adoption of the M1A1 Abrams tanks by the Moroccan army.
Repair and modernization of the remaining 150 M1A1 tanks supplied to Morocco are carried out by General Dynamics at the JSMC plant in Lima, while at ANAD in Enniston they were disassembled and sent to Lima. The first 50 tanks were dispatched from the Lima plant in Morocco in 2017. Another 50 tanks were sent from Lima in August 2018 and delivered to Morocco on October 16. Thus, to date, Morocco has received 172 tanks M1A1SA from 222 scheduled for delivery.
https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3434255.html