Combat drones: a Turkish factory in Morocco?

Atlas Defense. That is the name of the company established in Rabat by the Turkish aircraft manufacturer Baykar, according to a private deed dated October 2, 2024. Equally owned by Lütfü Haluk Bayraktar and Selçuk Bayraktar, who each contributed 1.25 million dirhams and aspire to establish themselves as a major player in the design and production of aircraft systems and defense technologies, the company has share capital of 2.5 million dirhams and is registered in the commercial register under number 182219 R.C Rabat, the official bulletin states.

To read: Bayraktar Akinci: Morocco ready to welcome the flagship of Turkish drones

Could Atlas Defense be a production unit for military drones? It is difficult to know. “On the one hand, the production of military drones entails strict export and certification requirements. On the other hand, Morocco’s legal framework will have to adapt to such a defense industry. Added to this are potential international diplomatic negotiations, as certain states may view the growing influence of a Turkish player in military aviation in North Africa with caution,” a specialist in the field told Barlamane.

To read: Morocco bolsters its army with 200 Turkish Cobra 2s

He added: “From an industrial standpoint, the local capacity to absorb such sophisticated production must be taken into consideration. Morocco does indeed have a rapidly expanding aviation industry, notably thanks to the presence of major groups such as Boeing, Airbus and Safran, but the manufacture and assembly of armed drones require more specialized expertise. Baykar will therefore have to train a qualified workforce and develop a suitable supply chain.”

To read: Morocco strengthens its defense with Turkish Cobra II armored vehicles

If Baykar were to establish a complete production unit in Morocco as part of the creation of Atlas Defense, it would be a first for the manufacturer on the African continent. It already has a logistics and technology center dedicated to supporting and maintaining drones that are already in service or that Rabat is considering acquiring.