The Kingdom of Morocco is moving towards changing the balance of power and enhancing its naval capabilities for the first time in its history, after reports revealed potential interest from Rabat in two Russian submarines of the “Amur-1650” class. This is an export version of the Russian military submarine project Lada.
According to an analysis published on the American defense site 19FortyFive, Russian military submarines offer advanced capabilities including great maneuverability and stealth technologies that reduce the possibility of detection underwater. They also feature advanced automated operations that decrease the crew size required to operate the submarine. Additionally, there is the potential for installing an Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) system to extend the duration of submersible missions. This brings their performance closer to that of certain nuclear submarines in specific tasks.
The larger submarine of this type, Amur-1650, is about 66.8 meters long and weighs around 1,765 tons when surfaced, equipped with six torpedo tubes that can be used to launch torpedoes, naval mines, or even cruise missiles in some versions.
However, the report warns of the significant challenges facing the Russian project, as no submarine of this type has yet been delivered to any navy in any country. Meanwhile, Russia faces developmental difficulties in the Lada program, placing this model in the category of “unproven experiments.”
The analysis adds that competition in the global market for conventional submarines is very strong, with established European offerings such as the French Scorpene submarines and the German Type 214, which provide guaranteed industrial partnerships and clear delivery schedules.
Although Morocco’s interest in Russian submarines shows that Russia is still attracting attention in the international market, no official contracts have been signed yet, nor has any submarine been built or delivered so far.
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