Spain Says Break With Israel Is Costing Time and Money as Morocco Keeps Buying Arms
Spain is discovering the cost of its military break with Israel. A senior defense official acknowledges an “excessive” technological dependence and equipment that is difficult to replace. At the same time, he confirms that Morocco continues to buy arms from the United States and Israel.
“It’s a reality.” Asked on Tuesday, October 20, about Morocco’s rearmament, Spanish Lieutenant General Miguel Ivorra confirmed that Rabat is stepping up purchases of U.S. and Israeli military equipment. The head of strategy and innovation at Spain’s Ministry of Defense was speaking in Madrid at Nueva Economía Fórum, reports Europa Press.
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The kingdom has notably acquired drones, air defense systems and rocket launchers from Israeli manufacturers. This cooperation is now entering a new industrial phase. As early as March 2027, a subsidiary of Israeli group Elbit Systems plans to deliver the first combat turrets manufactured in Morocco to equip Royal Armed Forces armored vehicles.
Miguel Ivorra, however, highlights a key difference between buying weapons and mastering their technology. “You don’t achieve that by buying products, but by developing them, improving them and maintaining them,” he said of military autonomy.
Spain Confronts Its Dependence on Israel
Across the strait, the lieutenant general made a confession. “We had an excessive dependence” on Israeli technology, he acknowledged. Since Madrid’s decision to sever ties in September 2025 in response to the war in Gaza, Spain’s defense industry has had to find ways to replace equipment previously supplied by Israel.
The task looks difficult. “This obviously affects our capabilities, because some complex systems take time and money,” Miguel Ivorra acknowledged, in remarks also reported by The Objective.
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The Spanish official wants to turn this constraint into an opportunity to develop domestic production. He says his country’s defense manufacturers have the skills needed to gradually replace Israeli technologies.
Madrid faces another challenge: its lag behind the U.S. defense industry. Miguel Ivorra describes this technological gap as “immense.” To narrow it, he is counting on stronger cooperation among European manufacturers, particularly in developing new weapons systems.
