Morocco Strengthens Its Military Industry with Various Types of Drones
A strategic plan to modernize the Royal Armed Forces and develop their capabilities with various modern technical means and necessary equipment
Morocco is entering a new era in its quest to create a new dynamic in military training and technology by producing several types of drones, as part of a strategic plan to position itself internationally in a world where military forces and warfare systems have evolved beyond their traditional meaning to a new level where technology plays a key role, necessitating the requalification of armies.
Specialized reports in the defense industry indicate that Morocco will not only specialize in producing the Israeli “kamikaze” drone, noting that the manufacturers to be opened in the kingdom will specialize in various types of drones.
As part of Morocco’s plan to establish a local defense industry, sources revealed that Morocco will start manufacturing military drones in collaboration with the Israeli company “BlueBird” under the security and defense agreement signed between Rabat and Tel Aviv.
Morocco will specialize in producing at least three types of drones: the “kamikaze” drone, as well as two other models, the “WanderB” and the “ThunderB,” also manufactured by the Israeli company BlueBird.
The “kamikaze” drone is distinguished by its ability to search for targets that appear and disappear, remaining in flight searching for targets before attacking them militarily. It reacts quickly to attacks and can be equipped with several weapons, with the possibility to abort the attack at any moment.
As for the “WanderB” drone, it can take off and land anywhere without the need for a runway, its engine produces no loud noise, and it can fly for two and a half hours over a distance of 50 kilometers. The “ThunderB” is a comprehensive drone capable of flying for 12 hours non-stop and can operate in harsh weather conditions.
Morocco began years ago to modernize the Royal Armed Forces and develop their capabilities with various modern technical means and necessary equipment, by devising integrated plans to ensure permanent operational readiness and enhance their defensive capabilities in all circumstances.
This direction was highlighted in a speech by Moroccan King Mohammed VI when he said, “We have issued our high instructions to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of training methods and military training programs for all soldiers at all levels, to infuse a new dynamic in education systems and means, adapting them to new transformations, which requires adopting renewed thinking and innovative methods in scientific, technological, and artificial intelligence fields.”
A royal order was issued to establish a new headquarters for the Royal College of Higher Military Studies, as an integrated university hub housing all high military training schools for officers of the land, air, and naval forces as well as the Royal Gendarmerie, ensuring comprehensive education according to modern advanced methods and technologies, open to continental and international spaces.
Reports do not rule out that Morocco might expand its drone production to include other types currently manufactured by Israel, such as the “Heron” and “Hermes 900” drones, knowing that Morocco has previously acquired all these types of drones in separate deals with Tel Aviv.
Morocco is making steady steps to establish a local military industry after allocating significant financial resources to this purpose since 2022, in implementation of the plan revealed that year aiming to achieve Morocco’s “independence” in the defense industry, according to Abdellatif Loudiyi, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of National Defense Administration.
Loudiyi had revealed before the House of Representatives during a session on the defense budget project for the year 2023 that Morocco has a program aimed at first establishing a military industry gradually, starting with maintenance projects and the production of live ammunition, then transitioning to a military industry represented by drone manufacturing.
He added that the project to create a factory specialized in military aircraft maintenance has been entrusted to an international specialized company, indicating that the factory’s site will be in the Benslimane region, north of Casablanca, the first project in the National Defense Ministry’s program.
