Race to the bunkers: Algiers rattled by the FAR’s technological rise

The Kingdom’s eastern border is witnessing discreet but noticeable activity. According to recent reports based on satellite imagery, Algeria’s People’s National Army (ANP) has stepped up construction of armored hangars and underground bunkers.

🇩🇿🇲🇦 ​Recent satellite imagery indicates the Algerian People's National Army is rapidly building underground bunkers and hangars near the Moroccan border. This marks a significant pivot from traditional surface-level deployments maintained since the past century,​ Algiers is… pic.twitter.com/kfhp4R2Ra4

— ConflictX (@ConflictXtweets) April 13, 2026

(Publicité)

(Publicité)

This shift toward underground fortifications comes as Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces (FAR) undergo a major technological transformation. Rabat’s acquisition of advanced systems — including HIMARS rocket launchers, cruise missiles and a new generation of combat drones — appears to have unsettled the Algerian high command.

Algiers seems to be trying desperately to shield its strategic assets from what has become a highly precise Moroccan strike capability. But is this military “ostrich strategy” really effective in 2026?

According to Abdelhamid Harifi, our military consultant, this activity along the border must be seen in the broader context of repeated provocations by the ANP. “In a climate of rising tensions and repeated provocations by the ANP in disputed areas, it is not surprising to see this kind of construction aimed at preparing for scenarios of low-intensity border warfare,” he says.

The expert, however, does not see these installations as a sign of superior strategic thinking. “They are only effective if one assumes that the other side — Morocco — will make the first move in triggering a conflict,” he argues.

Morocco, he says, already has the means to deal with such defenses. By equipping itself with technologies similar to those used by the United States to neutralize underground infrastructure in Iran, the Kingdom has developed a clear operational edge. “For the FAR, breaching these structures is already a settled issue,” our consultant says.

Even if these bunkers appear vulnerable to Moroccan firepower, the FAR should not lower their guard. The real concern, he warns, lies elsewhere, in other forms of asymmetric threat. “Morocco must step up its vigilance and preventive measures to guard against tunnel-based strategies,” Abdelhamid Harifi says.

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