ber, ⴰⴷⵡⴰⵙ ⴰⴳⴻⵍⴷⴰⵏ ⵏ ⵢⵉⵍⴻⵍ , image = Moroccan Navy Force

, caption = Royal Moroccan Navy Seal , start_date = active since: 11th century
current form: 30 April 1960 , country = , allegiance = , branch = , type =

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It include ...

, size = 7,800 personnel (includes 1,500 Marines) , command_structure = Royal Moroccan Armed Forces , garrison = Rabat , garrison_label = Headquarters , nickname = , motto = , patron = , colors = , colors_label = , march = , mascot = , equipment = 121 vessels 17 aircraft , equipment_label = , battles = , anniversaries = April 1st (foundation) , decorations = , battle_honours = , commander1 = ''Vice-Admiral'' Mostapha El Alami , commander1_label = Inspector General of the Navy , commander2 = King Mohammed VI , commander2_label = Commander-in-Chief , commander3 = , commander3_label = , notable_commanders = , identification_symbol = Naval Ensign of Morocco

, identification_symbol_label = Naval Ensign , identification_symbol_2 = Naval Jack of Morocco

, identification_symbol_2_label = Naval Jack , identification_symbol_3 = , identification_symbol_3_label = Armed forces , identification_symbol_4 = , identification_symbol_4_label = , aircraft_attack = , aircraft_bomber = , aircraft_electronic = , aircraft_fighter = , aircraft_helicopter = AS565 Panther , aircraft_interceptor = , aircraft_patrol = , aircraft_recon = , aircraft_trainer = , aircraft_transport = The Royal Navy of Morocco ( ar, القوات البحرية الملكية المغربية, ber, ⴰⴷⵡⴰⵙ ⴰⴳⴻⵍⴷⴰⵏ ⵏ ⵢⵉⵍⴻⵍ) is a branch of the military of Morocco responsible for conducting naval operations. The Royal Moroccan Navy is administratively managed by the Administration of Defence, which is (''de facto'') commanded by King Mohammed VI, the commander-in-chief of the Moroccan Armed Forces.

Mission

The Royal Moroccan Navy is part of the Moroccan Armed Forces. Its mission includes the protection of Moroccan territory and sovereignty, as well as the control of Morocco's 81,000-square-

nautical mile A nautical mile is a unit of length used in air, marine, and space navigation, and for the definition of territorial waters. Historically, it was defined as the meridian arc length corresponding to one minute ( of a degree) of latitude. Today t ...

Exclusive Economic Zone. Given Morocco's significant coastline (2,952 km) and strategic position overseeing the

Strait of Gibraltar The Strait of Gibraltar ( ar, مضيق جبل طارق, Maḍīq Jabal Ṭāriq; es, Estrecho de Gibraltar, Archaism, Archaic: Pillars of Hercules), also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, it (along with

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

) is deeply involved in the security of this important international waterway.

History

The history of the modern Royal Moroccan Navy began in 1960 with its foundation by King Mohammed V. The first admiral of the modern Moroccan Navy was Vice Admiral Mohammed Triki, who held the position as the Commander in Chief of the Royal Moroccan Navy for 14 years from 1991 to 2005, and devoted 46 years of services to the Moroccan Navy. Vice Admiral Triki was awarded these decorations: (from Morocco) Legion of the Order of Commander, Knight of the Order of the Throne by his majesty King Hassan II; (from France) Legion of Honor by President

Jacques Chirac Jacques René Chirac (, , ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. Chirac was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988, as well as ...

; (from USA) Legion of Merit by President Bill Clinton; and (from Spain) Legion of Merit. Although the modern Royal Navy was structured following independence, the Moroccan naval military traces its roots back to the 11th century, with the rise of the

Almoravid dynasty The Almoravid dynasty ( ar, المرابطون, translit=Al-Murābiṭūn, lit=those from the ribats) was an imperial Berber Muslim dynasty centered in the territory of present-day Morocco. It established an empire in the 11th century that ...

, and its ambition for naval hegemony in the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...

. Admiral Abdullah Ben Meimoun is credited for being the first commander of the Almoravid dynasty organized naval forces. With the Almohad dynasty taking over most of northern Africa, together with

Al-Andalus Al-Andalus translit. ; an, al-Andalus; ast, al-Ándalus; eu, al-Andalus; ber, ⴰⵏⴷⴰⵍⵓⵙ, label= Berber, translit=Andalus; ca, al-Àndalus; gl, al-Andalus; oc, Al Andalús; pt, al-Ândalus; es, al-Ándalus () was the Mus ...

, the Almohad dynasty navy soon became the "first fleet of the Mediterranean". At its peak, the

Almohad The Almohad Caliphate (; ar, خِلَافَةُ ٱلْمُوَحِّدِينَ or or from ar, ٱلْمُوَحِّدُونَ, translit=al-Muwaḥḥidūn, lit=those who profess the unity of God) was a North African Berber Muslim empire fou ...

navy's military reputation was well known, inciting

Ayyubid dynasty The Ayyubid dynasty ( ar, الأيوبيون '; ) was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt. A Sunni Muslim of Kurdish origin, Saladi ...

Egypt and

Saladin Yusuf ibn Ayyub ibn Shadi () ( – 4 March 1193), commonly known by the epithet Saladin,, ; ku, سه‌لاحه‌دین, ; was the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. Hailing from an ethnic Kurdish family, he was the first of both Egypt and ...

to seek its help in preventing

Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were ...

expeditions. The 16th century had the starting decline of the Moroccan state and consequently the navy that served it. The capture of major coastal cities and locations by

and

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, In recognized minority languages of Portugal: :* mwl, República Pertuesa is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula, in Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Macaronesian ...

much affected

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria ...

's naval capabilities.

Bases

The main bases of the Royal Moroccan Navy are located in: * Casablanca *

Al Hoceima Al Hoceima ( ber, translit=Lḥusima, label= Riffian-Berber, ⵍⵃⵓⵙⵉⵎⴰ; ar, الحسيمة; '' es, Alhucemas'') is a Riffian city in the north of Morocco, on the northern edge of the Rif Mountains and on the Mediterranean coast. I ...

* Dakhla *

Agadir Agadir ( ar, أݣادير, ʾagādīr; shi, ⴰⴳⴰⴷⵉⵔ) is a major city in Morocco, on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean near the foot of the Atlas Mountains, just north of the point where the Souss River flows into the ocean, and south ...

* Ksar Sghir *

Laayoune Laâyoune ( , also , ) or El Aaiún ( , ; Hassaniya Arabic: , romanized: ; ber, ⵍⵄⵢⵓⵏ, Leɛyun; ar, label=Literary Arabic, العيون, al-ʿUyūn/el-ʿUyūn, lit=The Springs) is the largest city of the disputed territory of Wes ...

Tangier Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the ca ...

Equipment

Warships

Amphibious and auxiliary vessels

Inshore patrol vessels

* P-32 **''El Wacil'' (203) **''El Jail'' (204) **''El Mikdam'' (205) **''El Khafir'' (206) **''El Haris'' (207) **''Essahir'' (208) **''Erraid'' (209) **''Erraced'' (210) **''El Kaced'' (211) **''Essaid'' (212) * VCSM/RPB 20 (107-116) * Rodman-101 (130-139) * Arcor-46 (D01-D18) In Service with Moroccan Customs * 15 Arcor-53 In Service with Moroccan Gendarmerie * 2 Griffon 500TD hovercraft In service with Moroccan Gendarmerie * 10 Rodman-55 * 10 Arcor-17 *** No boats of this class have been built yet. Russia has offered the sub for sale to India, but in 2005, India ordered Scorpène-class submarines instead. On 4 July 2013, Rosoboronexport announced they will offer the Amur 1650 to the Moroccan Navy if they announce a tender for new submarines.

Aircraft

Notable sailors

Ambassador Admiral Abelkader Perez 1723 1737

* Abdellah Ben Aïcha, admiral of

Salé Salé ( ar, سلا, salā, ; ber, ⵙⵍⴰ, sla) is a city in northwestern Morocco, on the right bank of the Bou Regreg river, opposite the national capital Rabat, for which it serves as a commuter town. Founded in about 1030 by the Banu Ifran, ...

, ambassador to king

Louis XIV of France , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of V ...

in 1689. *

Abdelkader Perez Abd al-Qadir or Abdulkadir ( ar, عبد القادر) is a male Muslim given name. It is formed from the Arabic words '' Abd'', ''al-'' and '' Qadir''. The name means "servant of the powerful", ''Al-Qādir'' being one of the names of God in the ...

, ambassador to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

in 1723 and again in 1737. * Abdellah Ben Soleïman, commander of the

fleet under sultan

bd al-Mu'min BD, Bd or bd may refer to: In arts and entertainment * B. D. (Doonesbury), a major character in the ''Doonesbury'' comic strip * '' Bande dessinée'' (or "bédé"), a French term for comics * Bass drum, in sheet music notation * Brahe Djäknar ...

* Abdellah Ben Taâ Allah, commander of the

fleet under Muhammad an-Nasir and governor of

Majorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean. The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Bale ...

* Corsair Triki of Salé, 17th century. * Vice Admiral Mohammed Triki of Safi, Commander in Chief of the Royal Moroccan Navy from July 1991 to June 2005.

Gallery

File:RMNS Lieutenant Colonel Errhamani (F 501).jpg, ''Lieutenant-Colonel Errahmani'' File:Moroccan frigate RMNS Lieutenant Colonel Errhamani (F 501).jpg, ''Lieutenant-Colonel Errahmani'' File:RMNS Lieutenant Colonel Errhamani F501.jpg, ''Lieutenant-Colonel Errahmani'' File:Floreal Class Frigate.JPEG, ''Mohammed V'' File:322 Raïs Al Mounastiri.JPG, OPV-64 ''Raïs Al Mounastiri'' File:Moroccan navy vessel Rais Charkaoui.jpg, OPV-64 ''Rais Charkaoui'' File:Moroccan HH-65A Dolphin helicopter. dropping a search and rescue swimmer.jpg, AS565 MA Panther of the RMN File:A boarding team member fast ropes out of a Royal Moroccan Navy Eurocopter AS565 MA Panther helicopter onto the deck of the Hellenic Navy training ship HN Aris (A-74) May 18, 2012, at the NATO Maritime 120518-N-QD416-073.jpg, Eurocopter AS565 MA Panther of the RMN File:307 Commandant Azouggarh, 2010.jpg, ''Commandant Azouggarh'' File:404 Abou Abdallah El Ayachi.JPG, LST ''Abou Abdallah El Ayachi'' File:407 Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah (ex-Bristol County, LST 1198).JPG, ''Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah'' (inactive) File:Moroccan Maritime Interdiction Operation (MIO).jpg, Moroccan Maritime Interdiction Operation (MIO) team during multi-national exercise Phoenix Express 2007. File:Phoenix Express 2009-032.jpg, Marines from Morocco during exercise Phoenix Express 2009. File:Flickr - Official U.S. Navy Imagery - Moroccan sailors conduct boarding exercises..jpg, Moroccan sailors conduct boarding exercises. File:US Navy 100427-N-3289C-272 Lance Cpl. Drew Van Hook instructs a Moroccan maritime interdiction operations team on basic close quarter battle training.jpg, Moroccan maritime interdiction operations team on basic close quarter battle training in Exercise Phoenix Express 2010.

References

* {{Navies in Africa Military of Morocco

Military units and formations established in 1960 1960 establishments in Morocco