Ahmad 
Morocco and Israel have begun steps towards strengthening their military cooperation, with recent media reports revealing concrete developments in the field of military drone manufacturing.
These developments were embodied in the announcement by the head of the Israeli company “Blue Bird Aero System”, Ronen Nader, during a statement to the Spanish website “Zona Militar”, the establishment of a production unit for the manufacture of military drones in Morocco.
The unit is expected to enter production soon, after Blue Bird Aero System gave up half of its shares to the Israeli state company that specializes in the production of air and military systems.
The move comes within the framework of military cooperation deals between the two countries, as Rabat concluded a deal worth $ 500 million to supply the Moroccan armed forces with the Barak MX air and missile defense system, which is among the most powerful defense systems and designed to counter missile and aircraft threats.
In a related context, the head of the Israeli liaison office in Rabat, Shai Cohen, announced the intention of the Israeli defense company “Elbit Systems” to open two drone manufacturing plants in Morocco, one of which is expected to be in Casablanca.
These steps come within the framework of Morocco’s aspirations to develop its military capabilities and strengthen its defense industry, as it has placed an order for 150 drones, part of which is expected to be produced inside Moroccan territory.
In addition, the range of aircraft produced in Morocco will include models such as the Wonder-B and Thunder-B, which are intended for exploration and information purposes.
Morocco is developing military drones in a bid to bolster its military capabilities and address regional security challenges.
According to a Moroccan expert at the Military Economic School in Rabat, these Moroccan drones will be an effective tool to counter Algeria’s military capabilities and pre-empt the operations of the separatist Polisario Front.
The Moroccan expert pointed out that the manufacture of drones in Morocco allows the country to customize these drones according to its needs and military environment, which gives it greater flexibility in dealing with changing challenges in the field.
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