فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
American company L3Harris Technologies recently announced the start of production for the “Viper Shield” electronic warfare systems, which are destined to equip Morocco’s future fleet of F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft.
The company revealed during the Air, Space and Cyber conference, held in Maryland between September 16 and 18, that 166 Viper Shield systems are under development to equip new F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft for six international clients, including Morocco.
According to the specialized website “Janes,” Bahrain, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Taiwan are also among the customers benefiting from this advanced technology. Flight tests for this system are expected to begin later this year, according to Jennifer Lewis, President of Airborne Combat Systems at L3Harris.
The Viper Shield system is an advanced internal electronic warfare suite that enables Moroccan F-16 aircraft to self-protect and detect and jam electronic warfare threats. It is integrated with the APG-83 (AESA) active electronically scanned array radar of the F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft.
The first batch of Viper Shield systems is scheduled to be delivered to customers in 2025, with operational flights expected to begin in 2026.
It’s worth noting that the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) had approved the sale of 25 new F-16 Block 72 aircraft to Morocco in 2019 for $3.8 billion. These aircraft, equipped with the new electronic warfare systems, are expected to be delivered to the kingdom by June 30, 2028.
This move comes as part of Morocco’s ongoing efforts to modernize its defense capabilities and enhance its air fleet with the latest advanced military technologies.
