Israeli defense electronics company Elbit Systems is the leading candidate to supply Morocco with 105mm and 120mm turrets for the armored personnel carriers it has procured from the Indian Tata Corporation, according to India's "IDRW" website.
On the one hand, Morocco is upgrading its military capabilities, and on the other hand, it is interested in increasing its production independence.
The contract signed between Tata and Morocco in September 2024 includes local production of 150 units of the WhAP (Wheeled Armored Platform) 8x8 armored personnel carriers. The contract in itself was a significant achievement for the Indian defense industry, because the vehicle manufactured by them beat off China's Type 08.
According to the report, in India, the Moroccan army turned to Elbit for the turrets, having previously procured Atmos artillery guns from it in a deal worth $370 million.
The Atmos system includes a howitzer gun that is capable of firing all NATO-approved 155 mm shells and projectiles, with an effective range of more than 40 km with standard projectiles, and also offers an extended range with rocket-propelled projectiles. Elbit also specializes in turrets, and consequently, Rabat turned to it to find a solution to WhAP.
The 105 mm and 120 mm calibers are also used in Israel
The 105 mm and 120 mm calibers are a standard in modern battle tanks, including in Israel. In the war, for example, the advanced battle tank, the Merkava Barak, has been used for the first time on a particularly large scale.
Elbit is involved in several areas, including the Iron Vision system that enables improved combat in closed spaces, as well as the 120 mm cannon manufactured by IMI, a subsidiary of Elbit. "IDRW" notes that the integration of Elbit cannons will require the Moroccans to make adjustments to the project.