Morocco Bolsters Air Force with Advanced Turkish Combat Drones

Morocco continues to strengthen its defense capabilities and is working to modernize its fleet of drones for greater effectiveness and efficiency in intelligence, surveillance and combat missions. On Monday, the Royal Air Force (RAF) received the first units of the heavy combat drone of the Akıncı type, as part of an ambitious program to modernize the strategic capabilities of the Moroccan army. This acquisition is part of an unprecedented technological cooperation framework between Morocco and Turkey. The model delivered to Morocco, which is under development, will integrate technical specifications meeting the tactical needs of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), particularly in the field of electronic warfare, signals intelligence (SIGINT) and advanced anti-jamming capabilities.

Developed by the Turkish company Baykar, the Bayraktar Akinci is a state-of-the-art drone with impressive characteristics. The aircraft has a flight endurance of 25 hours, a range of up to 7,500 kilometers and can carry a payload of 1,500 kilos. This drone is capable of launching precision-guided missiles and carrying out surgical strikes. A real key tool for long-range surveillance, reconnaissance and attack operations in complex areas.

The training of Moroccan engineers and technicians in military aerospace technologies, both in design and maintenance, is planned as part of this technology transfer. The aim is to foster the emergence of a national ecosystem capable of supporting, in the medium term, industrial autonomy in the field of combat drones, but also to open up export prospects to third countries.