The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf has taken part in naval drills alongside Morocco’s frigate Sygma Sultan Moulay Ismail on the coast of Agadir, Moroccan media reported. The naval war games took place on the sidelines of a visit by the USS Vella Gulf to Agadir in December. With 97 staff on board, the frigate is equipped with Exocet anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles, naval artillery cannon, and MU90 Impact advanced anti-submarine torpedo as well as a helicopter. Although it was established in 1960, the Moroccan navy traces its roots back to the 11th century with the rise of the Al Moravid dynasty. During the era of the Almohad dynasty, which stretched through the Maghreb, the Moroccan navy was the mightiest in the Mediterranean.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 03, 2018 12:11 UTC