Moroccan Royal Armed Forces Establish Specialized Electronic Warfare Battalions
The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces have established specialized electronic warfare battalions to conduct offensive operations aimed at disrupting enemy communications and defensive systems. This development showcases Morocco’s military modernization efforts and strategic focus on electronic warfare, enhancing its deterrence capabilities amid regional tensions, particularly with Algeria over Western Sahara.
hassan benyoub 
Rabat, March 15, 2025 – The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) have recently created and trained specialized ground battalions dedicated to electronic warfare (EW), according to sources cited in a post on X by @DefenseAtlas009 on March 14. These battalions are reportedly designed to conduct offensive EW operations, focusing on disrupting and disabling enemy capabilities, including communications, radar systems, and various hostile defense mechanisms.
A New Frontier in Moroccan Military Strategy
The establishment of these EW battalions marks a significant evolution in Morocco’s military modernization efforts. Posts on X indicate that these units are equipped with advanced, purpose-built systems tailored for electronic attack operations. Their primary mission includes jamming enemy communications, neutralizing radar functionality, and countering other defensive technologies—an arsenal aimed at gaining a strategic edge in modern warfare.
This development aligns with Morocco’s broader push to enhance its defense capabilities, evidenced by recent acquisitions like the $70-million "Alinet" EW system from Israel’s Elbit Systems in 2022. The system, integrating ground-based signal intelligence and electronic countermeasures, supports Morocco’s growing emphasis on dominating the electromagnetic spectrum—a critical domain in contemporary conflicts.
Capabilities and Equipment
While specific details about the battalions’ equipment remain undisclosed, sources suggest they wield a suite of cutting-edge technologies. These likely include systems for detecting and jamming radar signals, as demonstrated in joint exercises like African Lion 2024, where U.S. and Moroccan forces trained on radio frequency manipulation and signal detection in Tifnit. The FAR’s arsenal may also feature drone-integrated EW tools, such as those tested in the 2024 Arcane Thunder exercise, which utilized high-altitude balloons and UAVs to locate and neutralize enemy transmitters.
Morocco’s prior investments—such as the Chinese Wing Loong II drones and French Caesar artillery—complement this EW focus, suggesting a multi-layered approach to both offensive and defensive operations. The battalions’ specialization in disrupting enemy systems could enhance Morocco’s deterrence posture, particularly in the context of regional rivalries like its tense standoff with Algeria over Western Sahara.
Strategic Implications
The creation of these units reflects Morocco’s recognition of electronic warfare as a force multiplier. Posts on X from March 14 highlight their role in “specialized attack operations,” a capability honed through partnerships with allies like the U.S., with whom Morocco has conducted EW training since at least 2021. This move could shift regional power dynamics, especially given Algeria’s larger military and ongoing modernization efforts.
As of 10:29 AM PDT today, no official FAR statement has confirmed the battalions’ formation, but the X post’s claims align with Morocco’s trajectory as a Major Non-NATO Ally and its history of adapting to desert and counter-insurgency challenges. Whether these battalions will see action—perhaps along the Moroccan Wall or beyond—remains speculative, but their existence signals Rabat’s intent to project power through the invisible battlefield of the electromagnetic spectrum.
