Morocco Military Ranks and Insignia

Nov 07, 2025 0

The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) are the military forces of Morocco. The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces have experience in counter-insurgency, desert warfare, and combined air-land operations.

The oldest "Moroccan" military forces are those of the Mauri Berber Kingdoms from around 225 BCE. The Moroccan army has existed continuously since 1088 during the rising of Almoravid Empire in the 11th century.

The ranks and insignia of all branches of the FAR reflected the long influence of the French military as well as that of the United States. The rank structures of the army and the air force were patterned on those of France and the United States, except that there were fewer enlisted ranks.

The navy rank structure's similarity to that of the French navy was largely attributable to the fact that until 1965 this branch of the FAR was commanded by a capitaine de fregate (equivalent to a United States Navy commander) on loan from the French fleet.

During the protectorate period (1912-1955), large numbers of Moroccans were recruited for service in the Spahi and Tirailleur regiments of the French Army of Africa (French: Armée d'Afrique). Many served during World War I. During World War II more than 300,000 Moroccan troops (including goumier auxiliaries) served with the Free French forces in North Africa, Italy, France and Austria.

The two world conflicts saw Moroccan units earning the nickname of "Todesschwalben" (death swallows) by German soldiers as they showed particular toughness on the battlefield. The Spanish Army also made extensive use of Moroccan troops recruited in the Spanish Protectorate, during both the Rif War of 1921-26 and the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39.

Moroccan Regulares, together with the Spanish Legion, made up Spain's elite Spanish Army of Africa.

The Royal Armed Forces were created on 14 May 1956, after French Morocco, a French Protectorate, was dissolved. Fourteen thousand Moroccan personnel from the French Army and ten thousand from the Spanish Armed Forces transferred into the newly formed armed forces. This number was augmented by approximately 5,000 former guerrillas from the "Army of Liberation".

The Army of Liberation (Arabic: جيش التحرير, Standard Moroccan Tamazight: ⴰⵙⴻⵔⴷⴰⵙ ⵏ ⵓⵙⵍⴻⵍⵍⵉ) was a force fighting for the independence of Morocco. In 1956, units of the Army began infiltrating Ifni and other enclaves of Spanish Morocco, as well as the Spanish Sahara. Initially, they received important backing from the Moroccan government.

Spanish Morocco

In the Spanish Sahara, the Army rallied Sahrawi tribes along the way, and triggered a large-scale rebellion. The revolt in the Spanish Sahara was put down in 1958 by a joint French and Spanish offensive.

Read also: Argan Oil for Hair

Nationalistic Moroccans tend to see the Army of Liberation battles in Western Sahara as a proof of Western Sahara's loyalty to the Moroccan crown, whereas sympathizers to the Polisario Front view it only as an anti-colonial war directed against Spain.

During the first 15 years after the end of the protectorate, the FAR far from being a threat to the monarchy was considered to be a pillar of the king's strength. Most observers saw the upper levels of the officer corps as basically apolitical, fiercely loyal to the monarchy and, in contrast to other elements of the elite, generally uncorrupt.

The apolitical nature of the FAR was strongly encouraged by the monarchy. A zahir (royal decree) issued in 1958 forbade the affiliation of the military or any individuals in it with any political movement. This move was taken without consulting the Istiqlal and effectively blunted the politicians' attempts to politicize the officer corps.

Military loyalty to the throne was also reinforced by the knowledge that the king was responsible for the power, prestige, and position that his military leaders were able to attain. Because virtually all of them had previously served with the foreign military forces occupying Morocco, the military leaders had no political base independent of the king. Moreover, they distrusted the civilian political leaders and resented their factionalism.

For their part, according to political scientist John Waterbury, the civilian political leaders feared the military, which "enables the king to curb civilian elements of the elite and to present himself as the most feasible alternative to military rule." By thus playing on the anxieties of both the politicians and the military leadership, the monarchy was able to undermine the civilian opposition and accumulate a virtual monopoly of power during the 1950s and 1960s.

In the late 1960s, when the parliament (the Chamber of Representatives) was dismissed and the country was run by royal fiat during the "state of exception," the king increasingly placed military officers in important administrative and advisory roles. General Oufkir, who had been appointed minister of interior in 1964, emerged as the king's closest security adviser.

After the military coups of 1971 and 1972 Hassan had frozen promotions to general officer grade. The new rank of colonel- major was conferred on Dlimi in 1976 when the king chose to promote him in recognition for his influence and responsibility but did not wish to give him status as a general office at that time. Later, in 1980, Dlimi become the first officer promoted to brigadier general (general de brigade) in nearly a decade. After Dlimi's demise, Ben Aissa, who had been a brigadier general before 1971, was the only general officer in the Moroccan military establishment.

From the beginning of 21st-century, the Moroccan army began a modernisation program that included the purchase of modern equipment and the transformation into a more professional army performing multiple exercises with allied armies, and as a Major non-NATO ally of the US, and member of the initiative 5+5[8] and other cooperation agreements.

The Kingdom of Morocco is part of multiple international organisations, is a Major non-NATO ally, part of the Arab League, and has established military cooperation with different countries such as USA,[9] Russia,[10] Portugal,[11] Tunisia,[12] China, Qatar, Italy, France,[13] Spain,[14] UAE or Turkey. As part of the UN, Moroccan Army participated in different Peacekeeping missions. Moroccan troops were sent as part of SFOR, KFOR, MINUSTAH or the more recent UNSMIS in Syria. It has also responded the call of its allies, taking part of conflicts such as Shaba I, Battle of Mogadishu (1993), the Gulf War or the Operation Scorched Earth, among others.

The Royal Moroccan Army also performs annual training exercise called "African Lion" with the United States Marine Corps. Morocco has also been the venue for Exercise "Jebel Sahara" since September 2000, taken 10 times since, and gathering elements from 33 Squadron, 230 Squadron, 18 Squadron, 27 Squadron, Joint Helicopter Force HQ from RAF Benson, 1st Battalion Royal Gibraltar Regiment and 2nd Brigade d'Infanterie Parachutiste of the Royal Moroccan Army. The aim of the Exercise was to increase the Support Helicopter warfighting capability in desert 'hot and high' conditions and foster good relations between the UK and Morocco.

Review of All Royal Moroccan Armed Forces Equipment / Quantity of All Equipment

To achieve this, the scenario consisted of a joint counter insurgency operation in the desert and mountain foothills to re-establish control and authority within a troubled region of North Africa.

Moroccan soldiers in Exercise African Lion 2019

Another exercises were the "Jebel Tarik", with the Moroccan contribution of service personnel to an annual bilateral deployment of two companies (up to 180 personnel) of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RG) to the UK, on seven occasions since 2003. "Desert Vortex", a one-off bilateral helicopter exercise which is run between 16 May and 30 June 2009.

Structure and Ranks

The Royal Moroccan Army is the branch of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The army is about 375,000 troops strong.

In case of war or a state of siege, an additional force of 250,000 Reservists and paramilitary forces, including 50,000 regulars of the Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie and 70,000 Auxiliary Forces come under the Ministry of Defense command. The Moroccan Army helped with the annexation of Western Sahara which is disputed.

The Royal Moroccan Air Force is the air force branch of the Moroccan Armed Forces, It employs 13,000 personnel and is equipped with more than 300 aircraft.

The Royal Navy is the branch of the Moroccan Armed Forces responsible of conducting naval operations, 7,800 personnel strong. Its mission includes the protection of Moroccan territory and sovereignty, as well as the control of Morocco's 280,000-square-kilometre (81,000 sq nmi) Exclusive Economic Zone.

The Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie is the Gendarmerie body of Morocco. The legislation which founded the Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie describes it as a public force designed to guarantee public security and public order and the implementation of laws.

This legislation text attaches the Gendarmerie to the Royal Moroccan Army, then constituting a military force in its structure, administration and command forms.

Officer Ranks

Colonel Major: Colonel Major is the highest rank of senior officer. This rank indicates the ability to exercise an important command, in this case a brigade, although in some cases may command a regiment.
Colonel: The rank of Colonel is the third and highest rank of senior officers, above the rank of Colonel Major and below the rank of Brigadier General. He usually commands a regiment, averaging about two miles to three thousand men.
Lieutenant-Colonel: The rank of Lieutenant-Colonel is the second rank of senior officers, above the rank of Commander and below that of Colonel. In the Land Force, the typical position of a Lieutenant-Colonel is that of Commander of a Regiment or Armored Group, Artillery or Combat Engineer, and an Infantry Command Battalion.
Commander: The Commander is the first rank of senior officers, and is the officer commanding a battalion, which usually has between 500 and 1,000 men. The Commander stands hierarchically above the captain and below the lieutenant-colonel.
Captain: The Captain is the highest military rank of junior officers. He is superior to the rank of Lieutenant and below the rank of Commander. The captain occupies a wide variety of different positions in the three levels: tactical, operational and strategic. Indeed, a captain can command a company of up to 200 men or a section at the tactical level; he may be employed as an operations officer in a battalion or Regimental Operations Room; he may hold a position in a training headquarters at the operational or strategic level. This position depends mainly on the level of experience of the captain, as it can vary a lot from one captain to another.
Lieutenant: The rank of lieutenant is the second of the ranks of junior officers. He is superior to the rank of Sub-Lieutenant and below the rank of Captain. The lieutenant normally commands a platoon or troop. In general, he is considered the equal of captains with the only difference that he has less experience.
Second Lieutenant: The rank of second lieutenant is the second rank of officer. Second Lieutenant is a grade given to officer-students leaving the military schools. He can command his own section but generally he is the Platoon Leader's replacement to assist the Senior Officers.

Non-Commissioned Officer Ranks

Chief Warrant Officer (Adjutant): Chief Warrant Officer rank of Adjutant is the highest of the NCO ranks. The soldiers who carry this rank represent a lot of prestige for the soldiers and also serve as mentors for the Sub-Lieutenants and Lieutenants. In fact, the Chief Warrant Officer is often part of the staff of a regiment or battalion, just like the senior officers as the rank and file representative of the rank and file.
Adjutant: The adjutant is a senior non-commissioned officer rank between the Sergeant and the Chief Warrant Officer. The adjutant normally acts as the deputy commander of a platoon or section where he assists the commanding officer who is usually an officer of the rank of lieutenant.
Sergeant Major: The Sergeant Major is a position of the senior non-commissioned member of the unit or sub-unit. The general roles of the Sergeant Major are to assist the Commanding Officer or Commanding Officer, to deal with the discipline and to ensure the well-being of the non-commissioned members and to represent them to the Company Commander or the Commanding Officer. Officer Commander.
Sergeant-Chief: The Sergeant-Chief is one of the junior non-commissioned officers. He is below the Sergeant-Major and above the sergeant. He may serve as a substitute for the platoon commander (in principle a Captain) and command, in this case, a Company or take the head of a Platoon. The Sergeant-chef can also order in some cases a platoon.
Sergeant: Sergeant is the first in the hierarchy of junior NCOs. The sergeant is usually a platoon commander or platoon lieutenant. He is also often employed as an instructor.
Master Corporal: Master Corporal is the first in the hierarchy of men. He is below the Sergeant and above the Corporal. His rol is deputy commander of a section, a group of up to 12 soldiers in a platoon, a troop or a squadron. The Master Corporal also acts as an instructor. In fact, a master corporal is not a rank, but a position. The only difference is that if a master corporal changes his profession in the Armed Forces, he returns to the rank of Corporal.
Corporal: The corporal is the third rank of rank members after that of Private Class. He is followed by the rank of Master Corporal. A corporal may have limited authority, and soldiers of the rank of soldier are required to obey him.up to 12 soldiers in a platoon, troop or squadron. The Master Corporal also acts as an instructor. In fact, a master corporal is not a rank, but a position.

Military Units

The organization of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces includes various units, each with specific roles and command structures:

Brigade: The brigade is the military unit commanded by a Colonel Major or a Brigadier General. The brigade is the largest organic unit of the Royal Armed Forces, about 3,000 to 5,000 strong. However, their number may be even smaller if the profession is specialized. A Brigade General, if assigned to a "field" mission, usually commands a brigade, a unit composed of regiments. With regiments averaging about two miles to three thousand men, a brigade usually has no more than 5,000 men.
Regiment / Group: Regiment / Group - Armored Group, Artillery or Combat Engineer Group and an Infantry Command Battalion is the military unit that includes one or more battalions or companies, and is commanded by a colonel or lieutenant-colonel. Its average strength varies between 2,000 and 3,000 men. The regiments belonging to the armored weapon or to the combat engineers are composed of squadrons and the regiments of artillery are, as for them, composed of batteries. However, the lieutenant-colonel also holds various command positions within the Moroccan General Staff.
Battalion: A battalion is the military unit of several companies, from 500 to 1000 men. Several battalions make up a Regiment or a Group. Some battalions are commanded, especially in the case of corps units, by senior regimental officers in person (colonel, lieutenant colonel), others are commanded by the most senior of their commanders.
Company / Squadron: Company / Squadron is composed of between 50 and 200 men. It has at least three platoons and a command and support post. The company is commanded by a Captain. The company is a unit comparable to the squadron. The infantry battalions are composed of companies while the regiments belonging to the armored or combat engineers are composed of squadrons. The artillery regiments are composed of batteries.
Platoon: Consisting of several sections, the platoon is itself the subdivision of the company, which has at least three platoons. Each platoon is commanded by a lieutenant with an adjutant for deputy commander. In fact, the role of platoon warrant officer is often filled by a sergeant. The Sergeant-chef can also order in some cases a platoon.
Section / Combat Group: Section / Combat Group section is the military unit consisting of nine to twelve soldiers and is a sub-division of a platoon equivalent to a combat group. The Section is commanded by a sergeant with a Master Corporal or Corporal as Deputy Commander.

Summary Table of Ranks and Units

Rank	Typical Command	Unit Size
Colonel Major	Brigade	3,000 - 5,000
Colonel	Regiment	2,000 - 3,000
Lieutenant-Colonel	Regiment/Group	2,000 - 3,000
Commander	Battalion	500 - 1,000
Captain	Company/Section	50 - 200
Lieutenant	Platoon	Varies
Sergeant	Section	9 - 12