Tel Aviv: Morocco continuous to buy Israeli defence systems and now the deals include local production.
BlueBird, a division of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), plans to construct a new production facility in Morocco to produce Israeli attack drones, particularly the SpyX loitering munition. This facility, the first of its kind outside of Israeli territory in West Asia and North Africa, is situated in Benslimane, close to Casablanca.
The SpyX is a one-way attack drone with a 2.5-kg warhead that can strike people and armoured vehicles. It can travel up to 250 km/h on autonomous missions for up to 90 minutes. Moroccan workers are being trained to assemble and maintain these drones locally, which is a major technological transfer that will strengthen Morocco’s defence industrial capacity.
The new drone factory not only advances Morocco’s military independence but also shifts regional military balances in favour of Morocco, while diminishing the influence of previous suppliers like France. The Israeli-Moroccan cooperation encompasses technology sharing and contributes to Morocco’s ambitions to build a domestic defence industry.
The Israeli ministry of defence is now evaluating a new shopping list submitted by the government of Morocco.
Morocco in recent years became a very important customer of the Israeli defence industries.
In some cases the Israeli systems will have to compete with systems made by the US and France. Recently Morocco received the first Atmos 2000 self-propelled artillery systems made by Israeli company Elbit Systems. Last year Morocco has received the first Barak MX air defence systems manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The contract was signed in February 2022.
Morocco is negotiating the purchase of the Delilah short-range cruise missile for its fighter jets and other air launched systems, some that have never been exported. The Delilah missile system was developed by the Israeli company Elbit Systems and will be the first of its kind in the Moroccan army’s arsenal.
Last year Morocco selected the Rafael Spyder air defence system for its short range air defence needs. Morocco has also acquired the Israeli advanced loitering weapon systems , the SpyX made by Israeli company BlueBird.
According to a paper written by Col (res.) Eran Lerman from the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, Israel is not Morocco’s sole provider: Rabat maintains a close and advanced relationship with military institutions in the United States and it has a history of collaboration and compatibility with both US and French armed forces.
Morocco has consistently received military support from the United States and benefited from different forms of US military assistance, including Excess Defense Articles (EDA) and Foreign Military Financing (FMF) initiatives.
Lerman writes that, even though Morocco already has strong military partnerships with the US and the EU, teaming up with Israel brings additional advantages. In 2021, once the Abraham Accords became a reality, Israel and Morocco signed a historic Defence Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement provides a solid framework that formalises defence relations between the countries and establishes a foundation that will support any future cooperation. It will enable the defence establishments of both countries to benefit from increased cooperation in the fields of intelligence, industrial collaboration, military training and more.
Morocco has also signed a contract to purchase an Israeli made spy satellite, from the Ofeq series made by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). Israeli defence sources said that the new list is being evaluated “very closely” as it includes some “sensitive technologies”.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
