Royal Moroccan Armed Forces: Organization and Structure

Nov 25, 2025 0

The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (Arabic: القوات المسلحة الملكية المغربية, romanized: Al-Quwwat al-Musallaha al-Malakiyah al-Maghribiyah) 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 the Almoravid Empire in the 11th century.

The Royal Armed Forces were created on 14 May 1956, after the Franco-spanish Protectorate was dissolved in 1955. 14,000 Moroccan personnel from the French Army and 10,000 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".

About 2,000 French officers and NCOs remained in Morocco on short term contracts, until crash training programs at the military academies of St-Cyr, Toledo and Dar al Bayda produced sufficient numbers of Moroccan commissioned officers.

The Kingdom of Morocco is particularly committed to battling Islamic militancy and terrorism. The Maghreb (more specifically, Algeria, Mauritania and Morocco) has been the subject of an insurgency since 2002 waged by the neo-Khawarij Islamist militia, Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, or, GSPC. The GSPC allied itself with the Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb against the Algerian government.

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From the beginning of the 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, as a Major non-NATO ally, member of the initiative 5+5 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 cooperations with different countries such as USA, Russia, Portugal, Tunisia, China, Qatar, Italy, France, Spain, 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. 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. 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.

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Branches of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces

The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces consist of the following branches:

* Royal Moroccan Army: The branch responsible for land-based military operations.* Royal Moroccan Air Force: The air force branch of the Moroccan Armed Forces.* Royal Navy: The branch responsible for conducting naval operations.* Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie: The Gendarmerie body of Morocco, responsible for public security and order.

Let's delve into each of these branches in more detail.

Royal Moroccan Army

The Royal Moroccan Army is the branch of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The army is about 175,000 troops strong.

The Royal Moroccan Army fought during the Six-Day War and on the Golan front during the Yom Kippur War of 1973 (mostly in the battle for Quneitra) and intervened decisively in the 1977 conflict known as Shaba I to save Zaire's regime. The Armed Forces also took part in the Gulf War with a Mechanized Battalion and an infantry battalion in the Omar and Tariq Task Forces.

But the Moroccan Armed Forces were mostly notable in fighting a 25-year asymmetric war against the POLISARIO, an Algerian backed rebel national liberation movement seeking the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco.

Royal Moroccan Air Force

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.

Royal Navy

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.

Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie

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.

The Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie was founded on 29 April 1957 by the late King Mohammed V following independence. A Dahir issued on 14 January 1958 further defined the principle and purpose of the Gendarmerie. This describes the Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie as a public force designed to guarantee public security and public order and the implementation of laws. Article 2 of the legislation attaches the Gendarmerie to the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, then constituting a military force in its structure, administration and command forms. And its personnel consists of officers and NCOs.

The duties of the Royal Gendarmerie, in the field of judicial policing, have been determined by the Criminal Procedure Code of 1959. It performs all these duties under the administration of the royal prosecutor and control of the Court of Appeal. Duties consist of criminal investigation, evidence gathering, arresting criminals and execution of judge's orders.

Military Equipment

The Royal Moroccan Army has a diverse array of military equipment, including:

* More than 600 tanks in service: 48 VT-1A, 148 T-72B and 427 M60A3/A3TTS Patton.* 1,200 M113 in different variants (M113A1/A1-B/A2 APCs, M106A1/A2 mortar carriers, M163 VADS, M981 FISTV, M901A1, etc.).* 60 Ratel 20/90, 395 VAB VCI/VTT, 110 ex-Belgian AIFV, 175 AML 90/60 and 110 AMX 10 RC.* 248 155mm M109 SPH in different versions, 60 203mm M110A2 SPH, received as EDA from the USA, and 100 155mm Mk F3.

Moroccan Anti-Aircraft Warfare have been based basically on Self Propelled Air Defense Systems, waiting the arrival of MIM-23 Hawk XXI HIMAD SAMs. In its inventory we find 72 MIM-72 Chaparral, 12 Tunguska M1, 90 ZSU-23-4 and 115 M163 VADS, in addition of the K32 Strela-2 MANPADS.

Armored units were mostly deployed in eastern and southern provinces, all along Algerian border and Moroccan wall.

Military Ranks

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.

Here are some of the key military ranks in the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces:

* Colonel Major* Brigadier General (général de brigade)* Colonel* Lieutenant-Colonel* Commander* Captain* Lieutenant* Sub-Lieutenant* Chief Warrant Officer (Adjutant)* Sergeant Major* Sergeant-Chief* Sergeant* Master Corporal* Corporal

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

## Organizational Structure

Morocco's unique military organization Al-Deerk Al-Malaki (Royal Guards) not only protects the monarch but provides security in courts, military policing, port security, and airport security.

The 1,500-member Royal Guard has one battalion and one cavalry squadron.

There are only Brigades in the FAR and do not have Divisions or Corps dArmée, which renders the ranks of Général de Division and Général de Corps dArmée redundant, if not for prestige and vanity.

Most enlisted personnel serve voluntarily, although conscription is authorized for up to 18 months beginning at age 18. Army reserves are required to serve until age 50.

By 2015 the Army had two commands: one responsible for the northern zone, or Morocco proper, and the other for the southern zone, or Western Sahara.

These commands control three mechanized infantry brigades, one light security brigade, two paratroop brigades, and eight mechanized or motorized infantry regiments.

Independent units include one armored battalion, two cavalry battalions, 39 infantry battalions, one mountain infantry battalion, two paratroop battalions, three motorized (camel corps) battalions, nine artillery battalions, seven engineering battalions, one air defense group, and seven commando units.

The following table summarizes the key units and their structure:

Unit Type	Composition	Commanded By
Brigade	Regiments	Colonel Major or Brigadier General
Regiment/Group	Battalions or Companies	Colonel or Lieutenant-Colonel
Battalion	Companies	Commander
Company/Squadron	Platoons	Captain
Platoon	Sections	Lieutenant
Section/Combat Group	Soldiers	Sergeant

Moroccan soldiers during a military parade.

The organization of the Infantry Brigades and Battalions depends on it’s mission. We can find different organizations according to the military zone where they’re attached, their mission and their assignments.

Light infantry Brigades are usually organized in 2-5 Infantry battalions with attached anti-tank companies armed with ATGMs missiles, recon troops, batteries of towed artillery. The brigade will also have a support battalion and special forces units for CS (Combat Support).