RABAT, June 7 (Xinhua) -- 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.