Morocco orders 50 US-made tank transporters as it strengthens the mobility of its armoured forces

Morocco is expanding its ability to move heavy armour with a new order for 50 American-made tank transporters, adding logistical capacity to the North African country’s military modernisation programme.

• Morocco has ordered 50 additional heavy-equipment transporters from American manufacturer Oshkosh.
• The purchase includes 50 trailers, spare parts, services and training.
• The equipment will support the movement and recovery of tanks and other heavy military vehicles.
• An earlier batch is already operational, but the latest order’s value and delivery schedule remain undisclosed.

The purchase pairs Oshkosh’s Heavy Equipment Transporter A1 tractors with 50 MN573 trailers developed with Dutch manufacturer Broshuis.

The equipment can carry tanks, recovery vehicles and self-propelled artillery, supporting the movement of heavy military assets between operational locations.

For an army investing in armoured vehicles, transport capacity is part of keeping those assets available. Moving tanks on trailers reduces the wear associated with travelling long distances on their own tracks.

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According to Oshkosh’s announcement, distributed through Business Wire on 5 October⁠, the follow-on order was placed through Optimum Vehicle Logistics, its exclusive Moroccan distributor. The company also confirmed that the first batch of HET A1 tractors has been delivered and is operational.

The agreement includes parts, services and training. Oshkosh did not disclose its value or a delivery timetable.

Supporting Morocco’s Abrams programme

In September 2024, Oshkosh announced an initial Moroccan order⁠ for HET A1 tractors and 635NL trailers. At the time, it explicitly linked the equipment to Morocco’s M1 Abrams modernisation efforts and expected deliveries to begin in summer 2025.

The latest announcement establishes that the earlier tractors have entered service. It also identifies a different trailer model, the MN573, for the additional order. Neither release provides enough information to calculate Morocco’s total HET fleet.

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Morocco’s investment in American tanks has involved substantial support packages. In November 2018, Washington approved a possible $1.259 billion programme covering enhancements to 162 Abrams tanks, alongside associated equipment and support.

That figure was an estimated value for a proposed military sale. It should not be treated as the price of the transporter order announced this week or proof that every item in the earlier package was subsequently delivered.

The machinery behind military mobility

Oshkosh’s technical description of the HET A1⁠ identifies a 700-horsepower engine and a cab accommodating six people. The manufacturer says the platform is designed to carry heavy equipment including the M1 Abrams.

The operational purpose extends beyond delivering a tank to its destination. Transporters can also move vehicles requiring maintenance, allowing an army to recover and service expensive equipment without relying on it to travel under its own power.

Oshkosh says using the system reduces wear on heavy vehicles, transportation costs and crew fatigue. Those benefits help explain why procurement programmes include transport, maintenance and training alongside frontline weapons.