NationStates Jolt Archive

The Morrocan army was recieving a massive tune-up, the ancient M48 Tanks were being upgraded to the standard of the M60s that had been developed from them, transmission serviced and uprated, new steel armour segments were welded onto them to bring thier armour protection up to the standard of the armies M60 Battle Tanks. But this was really only the start of the modernisation of the military. The M48s 90mm Guns were removed and mounted on some of the Armies older M113 Armoured Personel Carriers to serve in a light anti tank role, a total of one hundred and four examples were created, the remaining 120 guns were to be used as spare parts to service the new Light Tanks.
The 105mm L7-derived Rifles of the M60s were to be removed and pressed into service as light field artillery, they were to be replaced by new weapons to be purchased from the Italian Company Oto Melera.
Finally all the Armoured Fighting Vehicles in the Morrocan Inventory were fitted with Slat Armour.
A massive armaments contract had been signed with the Italian Government, allowing the Morrocan Military to make use of its newly enlarged budget of nearly 20% of GDP to bring the armed forces into the twenty-first century.
Firstly the Morrocan Army purchased 844 Oto Melera manufactured 120mm Smootbore guns, identical to those used on the Italian Ariete Main Battle Tank but with added Gun Fired ATGM capability. These weapons would be fitted to the M60-standard armoured vehicles that had completed there sensor and armour upgrade programs and will replace the Soviet 125mm Guns mounted in the Morrocan owned T-72s which will be fitted with modified autoloaders to accept Western Ammunition Types,
Augmenting this was the purchase of some one hundred and four Centauro IFV Conversions and some twenty four B1 Centauro Anti Tank Vehicles to supplement its light armour capability.
The Morrocan Airforce was also gaining something from the weapons contract, sixteen Mangusta Attack Helicopters were to be purchased over two years to provide the Morrocan Miltiary with a reconnasance and anti armour attack capability.
The remaining 681 APC configured M113s were to be fitted with Oto Melara manufactured 25mm Cannons inplace of there 12.7mm Pintle Mounted Machine Gun.
Another deal was signed with the Toyota Corporation to allow for the purchase of some four thousand Toyota 2005 model Tacomas with three litre diesel engines to be placed into a jeep-like role.

The Morrocan Army had also managed to acquire Kontakt-V ERA from an African Manufacturer, it would be fitted to the newly upgraded T-72s of the armoured brigade to allow them to sustain hits from heavier calibre weapons.

Negotiations with other Arms Manufacturers were still continueing, but even if sustained spending at this level would eventually lead to a recession, by the time they reached that juncture, the army would be one of the best in Africa

The Roycelandian Government has been watching the Moroccan re-armament with interest, and wonders if they're looking to replace their small arms anytime soon...

OOC: It's probably worth mentioning that in AMW, the three most common military small arms (in order) are:

1. AK-47
2. Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk III and Self-Loading Lee-Enfield
3. M-16

The Roycelandian government has spent the better part of a century selling (or giving) Lee-Enfield rifles to all and sundry, and Imperial Armaments (one of two major military arms manufacturers in Roycelandia, the other being the Nairobi-based Colonial Small Arms) only discontinued mass production of the SMLE rifle a year or two ago (NS time) in favour of the Self-Loading Lee-Enfield rifle.

In short, there's probably a lot of people in Southern Morocco (Berbers, Bedouin, and Tuareg) who have Lee-Enfield rifles...

(Mostly just a tag to see where Morocco's going- positive waves directed at the Polisario aside, there's not much we can do directly in the theatre. Oh, and just to be picky, the AKM vastly outnumbers the AK-47 ;) In fact, there's probably more Ishapore AKM in use than all other combat rifles combined, heh.)

OOC:
Taggage as my thread subscibe thingy doesn;t seem to want to work today...


Oh and Royce, i think the FN-FAL probably outnnumbers the M16 by a small percentage thanks to the Hindustanis.

Quite probably, but everyone who joins up in AMW tends to arm themselves with M-16s or AKs before either developing their own local weapons or buying them off someone else.

But if we go with Kalashnikov-SMLE-L1A1 SLR as the 3 most common weapons in AMW, then that means good taste has prevailed and British firearms are the most common on the planet! Hurrah! :D

OOC:
Taggage as my thread subscibe thingy doesn;t seem to want to work today...


Oh and Royce, i think the FN-FAL probably outnnumbers the M16 by a small percentage thanks to the Hindustanis.

OCC: Indeed, the M-16 is rather rare, and I've only seen it with the Quinntonians. The Elians have their Muhannad, we've got the L1A1/FN-FAL, and then there's the tidal wave of SKS derivatives...the M-16 is probably some distance below the SKS family, in my estimation.

And tag!

Today deals with both Fabrique Nationale and with the Conzortia Iveco Fiat Oto Melera. The FN-FAL, P90 and Five-seveN Pistol will be providing the man-portable small arms for the Morrocan army. Also a deal was finally closed for the purchase of two hundred and twenty Puma 6x6 Light Vehicles, one hundred of which will come equipped with twin TOW launchers, the others mounting a 12.7mm Machine Gun. They will be serving with the 7th Motorised Infantry Battalion that is being deployed to Western Sahara

OOC:
Taggage as my thread subscibe thingy doesn;t seem to want to work today...


Oh and Royce, i think the FN-FAL probably outnnumbers the M16 by a small percentage thanks to the Hindustanis.
OOC: I'm using the FN FAL now as well, dont know if a couple hundred thousand make a difference tho

Spain is slightly peturbed that Italian and Belgian armanent industries have been chosen over Spanish and French companies. Nevertheless, Spain and Morocco will continue to accelerate plans for the transfer of Spain's AMX-30s and M60 Patton medium battle tanks to Morocco after they are fully replaced by Leopard 2Es. It has also been rumoured that Spain's 100 or so Leopard 2A4s will be sold, but with the current sale of T-72s from Russia to Morocco this seems slightly more distant. Furthermore, the continuation of the war with Walmingtom seems to retard arm sales between the two Gibraltar neighbors, and this ultimately means that cooling of relations between the two are retarded as well. Nevertheless, there has been growing evidence of Spanish money flowing into Morocco, and a sudden cut of support to the Polisario. The latter has been justified with the aim to cut any cooperation with the Progressive Bloc which took absolutely no time to declare war on Spain and France. It doesn't seem suprising that the Moroccan army has increased deployments in the Western Sahara, nor that they seem poised for immediate operations into the eastern section of the territory.

In any case, the two countries are expected to engage in multilateral talks which will focus on further arms sales, Melilla and Ceuta, and peace between the two nations. Morocco seems to have decided to take the opportunity given by world war to simply further expansion plans to the south, although these are just rumours, much like anything else that revolves around the situation. Nonetheless, the sudden arms build up is much cause for alarm, given that the threat by Spain seems distant, and Morocco seems to be turning its attentions southwards. Madrid is expected to make a public and official comment within the next few days regarding conferences between the two royals. Madrid is also interested in including France, her closest ally, in further talks with Morocco, given that Spain and France once shared joint control over the country, and now Morocco seems as the perfect candidate for a Holy League ally in a time when allies are thin. Morocco seems in a position to negotiate, although the Holy League retains some levearage, especially as Algeria could become a belligerent power on Morocco's flank, and Spain still has full strength on the peninsula.

One area of concern is most likely United Elias, and Spain has taken measures to make sure that the mid-eastern power is not isolated from a former dependency. In fact, official sources say that Spain has proded Morocco to continue arms deals with Israel and United Elias. What is known is that this once weak North African nation has suddenly become another wild card in world events, and it could either serve to dislodge Spain's powerful position over the Western Mediterranean, or it could help get rid of the Progressive influences in the Western Sahara.

In yet another completed arms deal with another, in this case current, dependency of United Elias the Morrocan Army will take delivery of a full six hundred and forty four sets of Israeli Made "Blazer" Explosive Reactive Armour to be fitted to the M60s and the Upgraded and Uprated M48 Tanks that form the backbone of the Morrocan Armoured Formations, teh first units to recieve the ERA will be those stationed in Western Sahara as that is believed to be the point at which the New Morrocan Army will be fighting its first engagements. In addition the military has agreed to purchase an unknown number of LAHAT Anti Tank Guided Missiles to equip its new armoured units.

The Morrocan Military has expressed its interest in the APILAS Anti Tank Grenade Launcher System in Service with the French Military and would like to open negotiations for a possible purchase to replace the Older Rocket Propelled Grenades Currently in use with the Morrocan Military.
The Morrocan Miltary also wishes to begin negotiations as to a possible purchase of a small number of the Pizzarro or ASCOD vehicles currently being rolled out across the Spanish military.

Forty T-72BMs have been purchased by the Morrocan Miltiary to supplement its currently serving formation of 100 such vehicles, these vehicles will be recieveing the modifications to the gun and autoloader that the afforementioned vehicles undertook to achieve logistial similarity with the rest of the Morrocans Tank Forces.
Another two hundred and twenty Puma 6x6 vehicles have been purchased from Conzortio Fiat Iveco Oto Melera (120 12.7mm armed APCs, 100 Twin TOW armed Tank hunters) to equip the new 8th Motorised Infantry Battalion which is being deployed to Western Saharan bases to perform missions that would in the words of one senior Military Official "Keep the Peace"

[OOC: Just a few notes on things as they progress... UE has been roleplaying on behalf of NPC Morocco for some time, most of which can be found in the Saharawi-related RP here (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=459997). This included the beginnings of Moroccan military shifts that involved substantial contracts with Elian producers. From what I can see, those arms purchases and related reorganisations are absent from this current Moroccan military shift, which raises the question of how cancelled contracts/discharged-reconscripted soldiers/etc are being resolved, and more generally the state of Moroccan-Elian relations. The two have been in lock step for some three decades now, starting from United Elias' early support for Moroccan action vis-a-vis Algeria and the Saharawi (which replaces American/NATO-affiliate aid that occured in RL)... what has happened internally in Rabat which has set them now on an independent course from their closest friend?]

OOC: I had no idea that the history was that close. Il have to look into it, and i have no idea what ordanance UE makes that i cant find elsewhere, ive bought quite a significant amount of Israeli equipment though, which is another one of UEs close allies (read client state)

The Morrocan military is ordering 125 T-84 Main Battle Tanks rearmed with 120mm Oto Melera L/44 Main Guns and equipped with the neccesary autoloader and targetting packages for the LAHAT anti Tank Guided Missile and to enable it to handle western style APFSDS ammunition, the deal is believed to be worth some 220 million US Dollars. They will be deployed with the new elite 8th Armoured Battalion on the Mauretanian Frontier upon the completion of pacification in western Sahara.
All the remaining M113 APCs will be upgraded into IFVL standard vehicles, there recently installed pintle 25mm guns will be removed and fitted into a stabilised lightweight one man turret coaxially with a 7.62mm Machine Gun manufactured by Oto Melera.

The Southern Confederacy, long a purchaser of weaponry from other nations, sees Moroco as an opportunity. The Southern Confederacy would like to establish itself as a nation that is also able to export weaponry, not only import it. The Confederacy is phasing out its M-60s, and Moroco seems to have a need for them. The Morocan goverment will be offered the following:

- M-60 tanks. The Confederate Pattons are upgraded with ERA, 120mm guns, and better engines. The engines are quite good, as they are capable of rushing up mountains and hurriying through swamps and jungles. (OOC: All my engines are good, as they have to work in all types of various south american enviroments)

- EE-T1 Osório tanks. While not cheap, they are not very expensive. They are great tanks, reliable, and more than able to hold their end in a fight.

- Future IFV. The Confederacy is developing an IFV, and this will be offered to Moroco on completion if they accept some other part of the deal. However, if Moroco would like a quicker option, they just need to say.

The Confederacy hopes that Moroco will purchase something of the offer.

The Moroccan Army is in desperate need of more Infantry Fighting Vehicles and would like to hear more about the Future IFV that you are developing, however we would like new vehicles as soon as possible, also we would like to begin negotiations for the purchase of your M-60 Patton Tanks immediately so that they may be put into service as soon as possible.

The Southern Confederacy can supply M-60s very quickly, all Moroco has to do is say "how many". As far as the IFV goes, Future IFV is still quite a ways off, but will be completed sooner, as Morocan interest will make orders apart from the Confederate army a probability. In the shorter term, Fabricas Militares (OOC: The State-owned military company, "Military Factories" in english) has an offer for Moroco. The 73-Addax LIFV (OOC: The addax is an animal found in moroco, and LIFV is light infantry fighting vehicle), the vehicle is hull similar to that of the M113, with upgraded slat armour and engines, and a turret holding a 25mm cannon. The vehicle has a crew of 2 or 3, and can hold 10 troops.

The Morrocan Military would quite simply like all available M60s to be delivered to Morocco as soon as possible so the crews can be trained and made ready for war against the United African Republics who threaten the Sultans throne. We would also like to purchase all Addax LIFVs available and make arrangements for manufacturing facilties to be set up in Morocco to ensure safety of supply whatever happens to our transatlantic trade routes

240 M-60s can be shipped to Moroco within short notice, but the Confederacy would like to withold the other 300 in the arsenal until the Osórios and Carpinchos reach larger numbers. As far as the Addaxes go, we can covert 50 M113s to Addaxes, and send a further 50 25mm turrets. We shall send the fore mentioned with 100 M-60's, and a team to help Moroco establish indegenous manufacturing facilities.

Thank you and we hope that we will have further fruitful dealing with you in the future.

****************
With the Southern Confederacies help a new Addax production facility was being built outside Rabat, once completed it would be able to turn out some two hundred and fifty vehicles a month, far outstripping even the worst expected losses amongst crew and equipment.

The 240 M60s that had arrived had been assigned crews who were now being trained up to peak efficiency ready to be formed into two new Armoured Battalions in preperation for the upcoming wars against Mauretania and the United African Republics

We hope that the vehicles shall serve your nation with honor.

The EE-T1 Osório offer still stands, and the same goes for the Future IFV one. Our personnel shal probably retire from Moroco once the factories are producing at full capacity.

News of equipment deals between The Southern Confederacy and Morocco is deeply troubling to Parliament as it prepares to send Rabat a very forceful and angry ultimatum. While it is hoped that Rabat will give up its designs on Western Sahara in the face of Indian firepower, Mumbai needs every advantage and hopes to convince the Southern Confederacy to sell its tanks elsewhere...

The Southern Confederacy will sell to almost anyone, as it is proud to have no alignments. If Mumbai would like, the Confederacy could trade with it. We offer a wide array of land vehicles, mostly to secondary nations that would be content with slightly older models. However, we can offer the EE-T1 Osório to Mumbai.

The Kingdom of Morocco is interested in purchasing the EE-T1 Orindos Main Battle Tank currently in production inside the Southern Confederacy and wishes to start indeginous production of said vehicles to ensure the security of supply.
We also send a general call to all the nations of the world asking for more aircraft to strengthen our air defence capabilities, and for good ground based Anti Aircraft systems to help further this objective

The Confederacy can offer production rights for the EE-T1 Osório, and will like to remind everyone that this offer stands the same for all countries. The Southern Confederacy can also offer some its Mirages. Although they are old, they have been upgraded, and are still good aircraft.

The Southern Confederacy offers the following to Morocco.

-25x Mirage IIIEA/DA Fighter
-10x Mirage Elkan Fighter
-10x Finger IIIA Fighter
-21x Mirage III5P Fighter

(OOC: Before people start saying things, I will sell to whoever is interested and has the money)

We except both offers and hope that Morocco will do business with the Southern Confederacy in the future.

------------------------------------
Using the designs to the EE-T1, another Armoured Vehicle Factory was being opened outside Casablanca, when at full production it would be capable of producing all the parts neccesary for the manufacture of some one hundred tanks per month and those neccesary for the maintainance of a large force of these vehicles.
Two other factories for the production of these vehicles are being built at this point, one next to the Spanish Border at the Enclave of Ceuta with the second sited next to the current Addax production facility on the outskirts of Rabat, in addition Addax production will be started at factories sited concurrently with these Tank Production Facilities.
An ammunition and missile production plant has been opened today in a small valley in the Atlas mountains, it will allow the Moroccan military to reduce the imports required to sustain the ammunition supply of its military and make its war fighting capabilities less vulnerable to an attritional assault strategy on its supply base.

The aircraft had been assigned new pilots and were now undergoing final training before they become operation in the near future.

The Southern Confederacy is most pleased that Morocoo accepted their offers.


Super Secret IC:

Deep inside the bowels of the freighters that were taking the Mirages, Osorio plans and examples, there was a further, non-public cargo. 80 of the Tridente (english: Trident) Anti-shipping missiles, were being sent to Morocco. All were carried on one of the ships, which had top priority, these weapons were to aid Morocco, as they should, for they had paid very well.


OOC:
The missile deal was accomplished in the telegrams. The Trident Anti-Shipping Missile is essentially an upgraded Exocet knock-off NOT the SLBM. I have to give it a better name really, but it has to do with the sea, and not be stupid, or taken.

With the addition of the GF-1C to the Confederate Air Force, our large Mirage fighter force is no longer needed. The Southern Confederacy offers all of its Mirage fighters to Morocco, as they have proven themselves to be faithful consumers of Confederate equipment. Each Mirage will be worth 10 million dollars, quite a low price, considering that they are upgraded immensly, bringing the Mirage to its full potential with current avionics.

-105x Mirage IIIEA/DA Fighter
-52x Mirage Elkan Fighter
-35x Finger IIIA Fighter
-21x Mirage III5P Fighter

We will gladly except your offer and pay a total of 2130 million United States Dollars for these aircraft, due to budgetary concerns we would like to pay over ten years, at two hundred and thirteen million dollars per year. Would this be acceptable for your government

The Southern Confederacy accepts the proposal for payment by Morocco. The Confederacy wishes that these aircraft will serve the Royal Moroccan Airforce with honor.

The recent sale of armaments to Morocco is disturbing to say the least. With China on the verge of war with the Holy League, Morocco's buildup presents itself as something to be nipped in the bud.

The South African Federation wishes to extend a hand of friendship to Morocco. But we must urge it's severing of ties with the Holy League. We think Morocco can prosper, but it will only fail under the Holy League.

Morocco has never had singificant ties with the holy league and has been moving away from there influence for several weeks already, however we will hereby begin severence of remaining political ties, however economic ties must remain at this time, we hope that you will understand the neccesity of this. We would be happy to accept the friendship of the South African People and hope that together we will prosper long into the future

A grand move indeed! And we understand your need to keep economic avenues open. This is entirely acceptable and we applaud you. This is a great day for the free world.

The Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic submits a formal protest over South Africa's decision to engage in friendly relations and economic contact with the terrorist regime in Rabat. Morocco's continued occupation of the Western Sahara, and attempts at genocide against the Saharawi population, reveal it as a rogue state that cannot be trusted and should not be encouraged until it has withdrawn its forces from Saharawi territory.

The Moroccan Government is unable to authorise a withdrawl from territory occupied by the military in Western Sahara before the beginning of current pacification operations, we are however willing to withdraw our troops to thier previous posistions and cease all offensive operations against Saharwi posistions

SIC:
[Tel Aviv, Israel; Two Months Ago]

Seated at a long table were several important men, they were part of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, they were discussing a message they had received from the Moroccan Government.

"This would be a great boost for the Israeli economy, think of how many Merkava Vs we could build, we could also expand our fleet with the funds generated from this sale. Also, they have agreed to quit supporting the HL, thus keeping nations from being mad at us."

"But even then, they want some of our newer weapon systems, they also want nuclear weapons!"

"Yes, but they only want them as deterence against agressors. Besides, we stand to make a killing from this sale, and we get an ally with control of the Strait of Gibraltar, a vital shipping route."

Murmurs were exchanged between the listening members, but they had finally come to an agreement, the sale would procecced, the Moroccan Government was told that the sale was okayed. The agreement was secret, no one outside the foreign ministry and the president knew of it.

[Vasilikos, Cyprus, Armed Republic of Israel]

Captain Amnon Lavi looked over the bridge of his roll-on/roll-off cargo ship. He looked out the window to his left, dock close to his ship were several more ships, again roll-on/roll-off cargo ships.

To his right were three Bulk carriers. He looked out past the exit of the harbor and saw six Sa'ar 6 Class Multi-Mission Corvettes and could make out the tops of 4 Dolphin-Class SSKs. He wondered why such a large escort was being used for a small convoy.

He grabbed the manifest of the convoy from his desk and read it.

Popeye Turbo Missiles: 85 --- $42,500,000
Harpy UAVs: 24 --- $6,000,000
Slammer SPHs: 40 --- $60,000,000
ATMOS-2000: 110 --- $192,500,000
M270 MRLS: 80 complete systems --- $160,000,000
M113 Blazer Upgrade Kits: 1100 --- $660,000,000
Macbet Air Defence Vehicle: 110 --- $137,500,000
Phallom (Boeing 707) - 2 --- $60,000,000
Jericho 2 Missile - 50 --- $75,000,000
Merkava Mk IIIM - 140 --- $420,000,000
Merkava Mk IIM - 280 --- $560,000,000
SYPDER SAM System - 140 --- $280,000,000
100kt Nuclear Warheads - 3 --- $375,000,000

Total: $2,631,060,000He eyed the list with great interest. His eyes widened as he came to the last item on the list. Why in hell would Morocco want to become a nuclear power? It was a question he couldn't answer.

He put the list down and sat in his chair, he watched the crew bustle on the dock until they were back in the ship. His 1st Mate came in and informed them that the convoy was ready to leave. Captain Lavi gave the order to hoist anchor and pull away from the docks.

This would be a first in a year long run of convoys to and from Morocco and Cyprus, each escorted by 6 corvettes and 4 SSKs.

BBeijing sends a high powered diplomatic relations squad to Morocco, keen to give Morocco a chance to explain her recent offensive actions against Saharwi and to broker some form of peace in North Africa. Minister of Defence General Chang has been dispatched to Rabat along with a group of delegates.

Of more interest to China was the intention of the build-up. If Beijing could make a last stand to tear Morocco away from the Holy League, military action would not be neccesary.

Both sides are invited to the Moroccan-Saharawi Conference. (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=11364989#post11364989)

The Morrocan armed forces were undergoing the largest build up since the sultan had come to power, with the massive influx of weaponry from France and soon from Russia [Upcoming Lend-Lease Deal]. The military was being expanded to full wartime levels, at a massive detrimental effect on the long term health of the economy, but there may not be an economy left if Morocco could not defend itself.
A coastal missile command was set up and given command of eight battalions of truck launchers for Exocet missiles, trained by French personel they would help defend the shores of Morocco from attack by enemy naval units.
Additional funding was put into the expansion of the Armies SAM capabilities, with several hundred truck mounts for Locally built Chapperal Missiles being pushed into service, along with attended licenced support equipment to enable the carriage of the missiles. Additional Launchers were being installed in bunkers around critical cities such as Rabat and Casablanca, paid for by French and Spanish Funding.
The 276 Mirage Aircraft purchased from the southern confederacy were going through the domestic/French Super Mirage upgrade program, hopefully turning them into useful multi role aircraft to provide ground support and air defence.
A new Anti Submarine Warfare command was being set up, based in Northern Morocco and tasked with the inderdiction of enemy submarine traffic through the straits, hopefully preventing a repeat of the Australasian first strike against France. They flew a total of 72 AS-532 SC Eurocopter Cougar Helicopters, donated by France.
The Artillery Corps was also growing, through the use of 105mm Howitzers that had been made available in large numbers, these were unfortunately crewed by completely unblooded novices who were liable to suffer problems with maintaining the required bombardment under fire. Also homebuilt MRLS derived from the BM-21 system was being introduced in a big way, with tens of thousands of rockets being produced in small workshops across the entire country.
Further French and soon [hopefully] Russian Funding was being used to acquire 36 Brazillian configuration AMX International AMX light ground attack aircraft which were to be formed into 3 New CAS squadrons, serving alongside the two operational Breguet-Dornier Alpha Jet units currently employed in that role. Rumours were also spreading that the Kingdom may purchase an undisclosed number of JS-39 Saab Gripens in the near future, although this has been neither confirmed on denied. Purchase of eight A330 MRTTs has been made from French manufacturing companies to enable increased tanker-extended operations over the Morrocan theatre of operations, again using Holy League funding. The C-130s donated by France to the RMAF have already been iinspected and placed into service with the 4th and 5th Heavy Transport Squadrons, quadroupling the RMAFs fixed wing transport capabilities.
However the public line of the Sultan (now a grand master of a bourbon nightly order) is that Morocco is not a member of the holy league and has been strong armed into alliance with them, he has had no choice to agree as he believes it is the only way to keep the country intact in the short term

Tbc

OOC:
I am really sorry for this but in my apparent role as AMW bubble burster i have a few thigns to point out:

Gripen: There is the small problem of BAE owning a controlling stake in that aircraft.

A330 MRTT: iffy one here, issues surrounding airbus make a A300 or A310 a more likely platform and without canadian imput a conversion development scheme could take another 3-5 years unless france has already coem up with one to address possible issues with thier KC-135 fleet

OOC:
I am really sorry for this but in my apparent role as AMW bubble burster i have a few thigns to point out:

Gripen: There is the small problem of BAE owning a controlling stake in that aircraft.

A330 MRTT: iffy one here, issues surrounding airbus make a A300 or A310 a more likely platform and without canadian imput a conversion development scheme could take another 3-5 years unless france has already coem up with one to address possible issues with thier KC-135 fleet

BAE does not have a controlling stake in Saab, they used to do all the marketing for them and producing about 45% of the parts, but that partnership ended in January 2005, leaving Saab in control of export again

I am aware of the Rl happeneings but it has been rped previously that BAE took a some what larger interest in in SAAB/Gripen International.
IIRC it was one of AMW's famous one line assumptions that have a nasty habit of becoming a set in stone fact particualry when we are dealing with RL defence industry activities since the late 1990s/early 2000s.

To be perfectly hoenst on reflection there is nothign to stop you buying them as the AfCom got thiers.

Ceuta
The port was full of Spanish transport ships unloading Leopard 2Es and Leopard 2A4s. The 1st Independent Armoured Brigade was brand new, equipped with new Leopard 2Es and some older 2A4s to make up some of the division reserves. Nevertheless, they were a very powerful force with their two hundred and fifty pieces of armour, organic battalion level 155mm artillery, and an organic close air support squadron formed by older Dassault Mirage F1s. In Melilla two infantry regiments were being off loaded as well, along with a regiment of air assault legionnaires. For now, however, their equipment would be left first, and then would come the personnel. They were the new 'Spanish Desert Expeditionary Corps' [SPADEC], or called by their history names, the 'Blue Corp' [ex// Blue Division, Blue Squadrons, et cetera]. Spain needed to gain territory in the diplomatic world, fast. The Azores operations would probably not turn out how Spain originally planned, although it would be a daring attempt, but Spain needed to look for other options, just in case. The Moroccan alliance with the Holy League gave Spain the opportunity to flex more muscle. If Morocco was able to crush the Saharawi quickly enough it would give the country the chance to begin operations south of the border of the Western Sahara and further dislodge the Socialist influence in the region. It would also give people in Spain multitudes of morale boosts in a time when morale was really needed.

Therefore, within one week around thirteen thousand fresh Spanish soldiers would march into Morocco, under the hospices of the king, and aid the Morrocan army in dislodging the Saharawi rebellion. They would be pushed into Mauretania and Algeria, where they would be dealt with either by later invasions or by colonial goverments, irrespectively. Madrid had already proposed to Rabat the plan. A short Moroccan offensive would cut off the Saharawi's access to the sea, while the Spaniards would conduct a broad front advance in Morocco proper and the northern Western Sahara to push the Saharawi into Algeria. Therafter, reserve Morrocan security troops would occupy the new frontier and the Spanish would reorient themselves to crush the enclave in the northern section of the Western Sahara, destroying as much as the rebellion before it was able to flee. Spain also gave its soldiers a free hand in intruding into Mauretania, within a set limit, to guarantee the destruction of the Saharawi. Morocco would have to deal with the rest, but Spain would free at least twenty thousand Moroccan troops or so. The entire offensive was planned to last three weeks, as it was expected that Moroccan security troops would enter after each subsequent gain to consolidate the area and protect it, allowing the Blue Corps to simply reorient and continue elsewhere. By the end of the month it was planned to pull the Blue Corps back into Spain.

So what did Spain get in return, other than prestige? Rabat pledged Spain a blank check in the ability to industrialise the country - of course, all owned by Spanish companies. There would be Seat automotive companies, the rebought Pegaso truck company [it had been bought by an Italian company in the late 90s, and now has been rebought in AMW], and then heavy arms manufacturing, like the Ocelot main battle tank, the Eurocopter Tiger, the Typhoon, and other massive armaments. Repsol, one of the largest petroleum companies in the world, with drills all over Bolivia and Argentina [well, I think so, I don't know about on AMW; in the real world Repsol pretty much owns South America, except Venezuela of course], and especially in Brazil, was promised their share of the petroleum along the coast of Morocco and the Western Sahara. In other words, Morocco would become a Spanish client state. This, however, did not mean it was only Spanish. Madrid was very well ready to leave United Elias to make their pleasures reality in Morocco, understanding that United Elias probably had any advantage anyways. Nevertheless, Spain was ready to expand itself economically into Africa, and especially ready to bring Africa out of the dark pit of economic slumber and rebuild it according to the Spanish picture. To do this Spain planned to use Morocco.

Morocco, obviously, did not really come out loosing either. The Moroccan military was beginning to look like a first rate army. In Tangiers and Casablanca Spain's older M60s, now replaced by Leopard 2Es, were being prepared to form new Spanish armoured divisions. Over 500 M60A3s were being stocked up in Morocco's port cities and these would soon be used for mad mischief. French Aster-30s were already beginning to look like dedicated anti-air platforms, and even Leclercs were being filtered into the country. Soon enough Morocco would be ready to keep its word and launched the largest African offensive since Operation Torch in 1942. Over two hundred thousand Morrocan soldiers would push into Western Africa, armed and funded by the Holy League. First, however, there were pending problems, and that was the Saharawi. Obviously, in order to get this operation moving the Saharawi had to be eliminated, and it was even more obvious that Morocco would need all the help it could get. Spain was, of course, ready to deliver, even if it meant Spanish blood had to be spilled to get it. In the end, for all the power the Saharawi had they did not have the power to stop a first world nation's army, especially if that nation did not fear massacres. In other words, the Saharawi were about to get crushed under the weight of combined arms, heavy firepower and the expertise of a very mobile army.

For those reason the massive cranes were operating quickly and effeciently in almost every port city in Morocco, whether the city was Spanish or Moroccan. Just in case Spanish aircraft operating off the Madeira and Canary Islands were ready to strike just about anywhere, although the majority of them were guarding against intrusions by the British and Australians. Peace had not come just yet...

A large convoy of arrives in the Moroccan ports, seemingly just the latest in a long line, but this one flies the Imperial flags of the Tsar, an ambassador to Morocco is commanding the fleet, well protected by the Russian Navy, and they come bearing an aid package of massive proportions, to help to arm Morocco against Progressive incursions. Among the several thousand tons of food and medical supplies, come several Spetznas, KGB and Kargat advisors and training personnel.

Off loading the ships happens in short order, with much of the stuff being civilian in nature, with jeeps, spare parts, tools, engineering supplies, jeeps, and etc. rolling off the ramps. However, it is not a completely benign convoy, as the military Transports that were for the moment holding back are holding:

72 Yak-41 Freestyle
120 T-84 Yatagans
50000 RPG-29 Launchers
50000 14.5mm MGs
800 Automatic Mortars
30 Il-76MDs
1800 BTR-60s
240 BMP-3s

This equipment was a down payment of sorts, a tribute to the great Sultan of Morocco on the moment of his greatest wisdom. Unfettered by Quinntonian ideals of democratic leadership, he had chosen to receive his new ambassador, who would carry a symbolic sceptre of the Tsar. Ambassador Lord-Boyar Valerie Pitchko would receive a ceremonial bow from the Sultan and would witness the signing of papers of vassalage as the Sultan entered the Tsarist family. The other world powers had simply forced him into the waiting arms of a benevolent Tsar.

Lord-Boyar Valerie Pitchko stood a full 6’5” and wore his fur lined robes of office, even in the Moroccan heat. His dark beard hung low over eyes that stared through people like they were prey. He wore a large broadsword at his side, curved in the style of the old Cossacks, and carried the authority to set up a permanent embassy to the Sultan’s court and offer all of this, plus a further $5 billion USQ in aid to be paid over the next 18 months. In return, the Sultan would order that Russian be taught in the schools, as well as Russian and Tsarist history, and that statues in honour of the Tsar be erected in every city, and some other minor aesthetic changes. But all who attack Morroco would now know that they faced not a lone small African nation hanging on for survival, but a Tsar!

Tsar Wingert the Great.

Overview of the Situation in Morocco
SPADEC had spent about four days moving by rail southwards until the rail did not arrive to the specific part of the front they wanted to deploy at. Nevertheless, within those four days the Spaniards had arrayed over thirteen thousand soldiers and two hundred and fifty Leopard 2Es on the border with the Polisario front, prepared to roll over it and into 'territorio Comanche' at a word's notice. The Moroccan Royal Airforce had attached a helicopter squadron and a reconaissance squadron with SPADEC to provide further close air support and some sort of reconaissance over the desert. Therefore, along with the twelve F1 interdiction aircraft the Spanish could not count on over twenty Mangusta helicopters. At some point there would be two Eurocopter Tiger squadrons approaching from the north, as well, to provide further support against Saharawi T-54s, T-55s and T-34s. At that point the Moroccan helicopters would probably be detached and given back to their original masters - if many of them survived, that is. Nevertheless, SPADEC was ready to pound through the northern areas of the Saharawi and to push them up against the Algerian border, where they would be destroyed. Then SPADEC would help mop up the Saharawi and finally return home as heroes, deserving of their own parade and everything!

Rows upon rows of Spanish tanks occupied once empty tank parts, their light desert colors contrasting with dark brown overtones. The seven meter guns were elevated at an angle of around ten degrees, displaying a simultanuous cooperation and organization. The Spanish flag with the royal emblem was painted on the side of the turrets, as if it was a brand and proof of the ability of these landfaring ironclads. There was one tank out of the ordinary, and its commander stood unmoving on his seat, his upper body poking out of the top of the turret. The other tanks had their tank commanders situated in similar positions, but this tank was not in the files and columns of death that the brigade's battalion had made; instead it was in front, looking down on the others. It was the commander. He made sure his words could be heard over the roar of passing Moroccan reconaissance aircraft overhead, spreading words of confidence and of pride. He was paving the path for greatness and fame in Africa - they were the Deutch Afrikakorps of the modern age - SPADEC. Since the Portuguese campaign the Spanish Armour Corps had become the elite of the Spanish army, and the upcoming Ocelot Main Battle Tank would prove it.

The Polisario could confront the joint attack with up to fifteen thousand troops. This number being the maximum strength of the Polisario in the 1980s. Given the '91 peace, which ultimately failed, it would be expected that there would be a reduction of fighters. Even if this peak was true at the current date they would have to fight against thirteen thousand Spaniards in the north alone, and against countless Moroccan divisions to the south. Furthermore, they would no longer be dealing with anti-terrorist incursions, but by a full fledge invasion by two armies that didn't care what the international world thought about them. The Polisario had a serious disadvantage this time around. They were up against fully modern tanks, integrated and well trained close air support and modern surveillance systems. In otherwords, they were completely outgunned.

But perhaps the most important part of this saga was not the demise, or projected demise, of the Saharawi. Instead it was the new status of Morocco. People walking through the streets of Rabat could now see entire buildings bought out by and dedicated to Telefónica, the huge Spanish telephone company that already had most parts of South America. Telefónica was obviously working to buy out other Moroccan phone companies and kicking out foreign ones - they wanted to make Morocco theirs. It was working too. It was hard to compete against one of the most powerful companies in the world, in regards to what they did, and especially when you were playing in their backyard. Those who lived along the coast could see large Spanish tankers and transport vessels coming from Cadiz or the Canary Islands and the beginnings of an oil infrastructure a few dozen kilometers out - Repsol had come in strong and was already ready to drill any oil that existed along that coastline. Pretty soon Spain would be more and more self-sufficient, as cars converted to ethanol and hydrogen fuel stacks and Spain's military was fueled by petroleum sucked out of the Earth by Spanish companies.

Along the Tangiers strip the worst of it was coming. Casa, Santa Bárbara Sistemas and other armament companies, even new ones, were building up along the northern area of Morocco, and slowly encroaching south. With the heavy building spree in Spain companies were running out of room to buy, but new possiblities in Morocco attracted all. Morocco was quick in becoming a vassal to Spain in the economic world, and that would, in the end, dictate a lot of politics. The end goal was to drive out any socialist influence so near to Spain, and this is why Spain was so ready in aiding Morocco to finish the Polisario. Of course, Spain would have to be willing to share with Holy League partners and especially United Elias, but for the most part Morocco was becoming another Spain. Soon enough Spanish civilian companies would spread throughout Western Africa and Spain would become one of the dominant economies in the western world - if it already wasn't. But most importantly, Spain would dictate terms in this part of Africa - it would become it's porch, which could then extend into a new zone of influence, or backyard.