Drone Industry: BlueBird firm sets up production plant in Morocco

Morocco is strengthening its defense and deterrence capabilities by acquiring new military technology, enabling the North African Kingdom to address threats to its national security and regional peace.

Moroccan lawmakers have already passed laws allowing the setting up of joint ventures in the defense industry as the country aspires to reduce its dependence on the imports of arms.

After the parliament’s approval, Israeli company Bluebird said it will open soon a production site of its unmanned aerial systems in Morocco. The announcement was made lately by Ronen Nadir, CEO of BlueBird Aero Systems in a statement to online magazine Zona Militar.

Following the normalization of relations between Rabat & Tel Aviv in 2020 under the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, the two countries agreed to enhance their cooperation in defense, security, technology, industry, trade, industry, scientific research, healthcare …

In 2021, the Moroccan army acquired Israel’s Skylock Dome System to upgrade its defensive power. In February 2023, Morocco purchased Barak MX air and missile defense system manufactured by Israel aerospace industries (IAI).

Barak-MX is a modular air defense system and is designed to address missile and aircraft threats. It operates both in marine platforms and land, and belongs to the Barak missile family

To maintain its airpower superiority, Morocco also acquired Spy X loitering weapon systems made by Blue Bird company, in addition to other combat and reconnaissance drones purchased from Turkey, France, the United States and China.

According to Frost & Sullivan group, a research and consulting firm, Morocco is set to become a weapons’ producing country in the few coming years as the country will host foreign factories specialized in arms manufacturing by 2025.