Overview
- The two-seat F-16D for the Royal Moroccan Air Force completed its maiden flight at Lockheed Martin’s Greenville, South Carolina facility and will now enter flight testing before delivery to Morocco.
- The jet that flew on Tuesday is the first new‑build Block 72 and serves as the production‑standard example for export customers seeking the Pratt & Whitney F100‑PW‑229–powered configuration.
- Morocco chose the Block 72 to keep engine commonality with its existing F‑16C/D Block 52+ fleet, which already use F100 engines and are being upgraded toward the F‑16V standard.
- Lockheed Martin is expanding industrial ties in Morocco, working with Maintenance Aero Maroc and planning an 8,000 m2 MRO at Benslimane that will support heavy maintenance first for C‑130s and later for F‑16 sustainment.
- Some details remain unclear from public reporting, including whether items seen in Lockheed photos such as the Digital Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System are included in Morocco’s purchase or will be supplied separately.