F-16 Only Viable Launch Platform

According to the United Nations Register of Conventional Weapons, Morocco received six HARPOON anti-ship missiles in 2017. Egypt is currently the only other North African nation to operate the missile.

With a range of 220-280km and a 221kg warhead, the AGM-84 HARPOON is a flexible and powerful weapon system that has been exported to scores of navies and air forces. Morocco, however, has no appropriate naval launch platforms (the DESCUBIERTA corvette could in theory carry HARPOON but was not delivered with this capability) and no ground-based launch facilities at all. Informed speculation, therefore, has led to the widespread belief that Moroccan F-16s are the only viable platform to carry the HARPOON and promulgate the Royal Moroccan Navy’s new strike capability.