Moroccan and French forces conduct joint aerial exercises

Moroccan and French military forces recently concluded the “Oryx 26” joint aerial exercise at the Orange Air Base in France. The training involved approximately fifty Moroccan personnel, including twelve pilots and their technical crews, working alongside the French Air and Space Force.

The exercise featured Moroccan F-16 fighters operating in coordination with French Rafale jets from the 1/5 Vendée squadron. The drills were designed to simulate complex modern combat environments, including air-to-air and surface-to-air threat scenarios, as well as intense electronic warfare such as GPS jamming, sensor deception, and signal interference.

Lieutenant Colonel Jérémy, director of the exercise, noted that the initiative aimed to foster familiarity and trust between the two forces to ensure effective coordination during future joint missions. This deployment marks a significant instance of a large Moroccan contingent being sent to France for bilateral training.