RABAT, June 7 | Editor: Du Guodong | in Xinhuanet

Morocco has approved a deal to buy 24 F-16 fighter jets from the U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin, local e-paper, Hespress.com, reported on Saturday.

The approval was made Friday after the U.S. government has given Lockheed its OK to sell the F-16s to the north African kingdom, as well as additional equipment and support services, said the report.

Morocco will acquire a Block 52 of the F-16C/D aircraft tailored to meet the specific requirements of the Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF), a Lockheed statement was quoted as saying.

These advanced jets can fly at twice the speed of sound and can be equipped to carry rapid-fire cannons, air-to-air missiles and laser and satellite-guided weapons.

Lockheed Martin was competing with French manufacturer Dassault, which failed last year to sell its Rafale jets to Morocco, according to media reports.

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