U.S. Air Force shows Morocco the F-35A it reportedly wants

U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters flew alongside Moroccan F-16s on the opening day of the Marrakech Airshow, putting the jet in front of a country that has been reported to be interested in buying it and that already fields a growing list of American weapons.

The airshow runs Oct. 7-10 at a Royal Moroccan Air Force base in Marrakech. Lockheed Martin, which builds both aircraft, posted that Morocco’s F-16s and the U.S. Air Force F-35As took to the skies to open the four-day event. According to the U.S. Department of War, the F-35A flyby is the centerpiece of about 45 U.S. military personnel taking part. The fighters come from the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath in England, the largest U.S. fighter wing in Europe, which flies both F-35As and F-15E Strike Eagles.

The U.S. contingent also includes two aircraft on static display: an HC-130J Combat King II search-and-rescue plane from the Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, and a KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft from the Utah National Guard’s 151st Wing. The Utah National Guard has been paired with Morocco since 2003 under the State Partnership Program, which links U.S. National Guard units with foreign militaries for regular training and exchanges.

“It is an honor to be at Marrakech ahead of the 250th anniversary of the U.S.-Moroccan Alliance,” said U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Matthew J. French, Air National Guard assistant to the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa. “Hosted by the United States’ oldest Ally, this forum best illustrates our goal of establishing strong and enduring Allied and partner forces for an evolving security environment. It makes us stronger in both our individual and combined capacities.”

Morocco was the first country to recognize U.S. independence, in 1777, and Washington designated it a major non-NATO ally in 2004.

Morocco’s air force is about to receive a major upgrade of its own. On Oct. 6, Lockheed Martin said the first of 25 new F-16 Block 72 fighters built for Morocco had made its maiden flight in Greenville, South Carolina. The U.S. approved that sale, worth an estimated $3.8 billion, in 2019, along with a separate package of about $985 million to upgrade Morocco’s 23 existing F-16s to a similar standard.

Rabat has also been one of the steadier buyers of American ground equipment in Africa, including M1 Abrams tanks, AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and HIMARS rocket launchers. In 2024, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of 612 Javelin anti-tank missiles to Morocco for an estimated $260 million.

Morocco’s interest in the F-35 has surfaced repeatedly. Reports since 2025 have said Rabat was in talks for up to 32 of the stealth fighters. The U.S. government has not announced any approval of an F-35 sale to Morocco, and neither government has confirmed negotiations.

“The Marrakech Air Show is a world-class exhibition of aviation innovation and a powerful testament to the enduring, nearly 250-year friendship between the United States and the Kingdom of Morocco. For decades, our nations have flown side-by-side, from our vital pilot training pipelines to our complex joint operations. The United States remains deeply committed to standing with our Moroccan partners, delivering cutting-edge aerospace capabilities and working hand-in-hand to promote regional peace, stability, and shared prosperity across the African continent,” said Duke Buchan III, the U.S. ambassador to Morocco.