Morocco to Launch Drone Factory with Israeli Partnership, Aims for African Leadership

The Israeli company BlueBird Aero Systems has announced the construction in the coming months of a drone manufacturing plant in Morocco. The kingdom wants to take advantage of Israeli expertise to enter the select circle of drone-producing countries. This factory should start its activities very soon, reports the French newspaper Le Monde.

For the moment, no information has been given on the site that will house this factory which will produce WanderB and ThunderB drones, dedicated to reconnaissance, intelligence and target detection missions, says Asher Fredman, the director for Israel of the Abraham Accords Institute for Peace, quoted by the French media.

This factory will also produce SpyX drones, some units of which Morocco has recently acquired from Israel. "These loitering munitions, which have proven themselves in Ukraine and in Nagorno-Karabakh, are becoming increasingly decisive on the battlefields," details Nizar Derdabi, a former officer of the Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie.

The senior officer reassures about the transfer of technologies between Israel and Morocco. "Israeli engineers will train their Moroccan counterparts on site." Production will be based on needs. Ultimately, Morocco aims to supply drones produced locally to Sahel and West African countries seeking to strengthen their air capabilities.