Turkish drone manufacturer to set up production in Morocco
Turkish defence company Baykar will set a production facility in Morocco, according to Military Africa on January 30th.
The company, which is the leading producer of drones in Turkey, will set shop in Morocco after previously establishing itself in Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Mongolia. Being already one of the main drone suppliers on the continent, it will benefit from producing on site. This, according to Morocco-based news agency Le Desk, will facilitate deliveries in the region and potentially attract new customer among African states.
However, the reports have been tempered by a source close to the matter, per Middle East Eye, which says the capital set up by the Moroccan company covers the creation of a subsidiary for maintenance and spare parts only.
Nevertheless, the agreement marks the strengthening of strategic ties between State-backed Barayktar and the Kingdom. Besides contributing to the local economy, the setting up of the manufacturing site will contribute to the training of Moroccan engineers.
For Turkey, on the other end, the popularity of the TB2 keeps growing, after their models demonstrated their effectiveness in conflicts such as those in Libya, Azerbaijan and Ukraine.
Morocco has already acquired TB2 drones from the Turkish company and is set to bolster its already impressive Chinese and Israeli-produced fleet with the more advance Akıncı model in February.
This acquisition will further the technological advantage Morocco has over the region, according to Atalayar, which will necessitate a balancing act from Moroccan diplomacy amid growing tensions over Western Sahara sovereignty.
With its AI-powered capacities, the new drone is perfectly suited to operate in the most remote areas of the kingdom, as Moroccan media reported. A reminder to all of Moroccan capabilities of intervention in the southernmost region.
With their partnerships with Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, Morocco is quietly shifting from an importer to a manufacturer. The country has allocated $12 billion to its military spending in it 2024 budget.
Military Africa, Atalayar, Maghrebi, Middle East Eye
