Israeli Presence at the Marrakech Airshow
Eight Israeli companies are officially participating in the eighth edition of the Marrakech Airshow, taking place from October 7 to 10 at the Royal Moroccan Air Force base. This significant participation signals what French magazine "Jeune Afrique" describes as a growing defense collaboration between Morocco and Israel, as well as the aspirations of Israeli firms to enhance their presence in the Moroccan and broader African markets.
Among the participants is Elbit Systems, which is showcasing its military capabilities for the first time at this event. The company presents a diverse array of military systems, including unmanned aerial vehicles, autonomous systems, precision weapons, air defense systems, electronic warfare technologies, as well as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance solutions. Notably, Elbit Systems is exhibiting the Hermes 900 drone alongside autonomous systems designed for extensive deployment in combat environments, including the Thor, Magni-X, and Firefox-X families.
In the realm of precision weaponry, Elbit Systems is displaying the Sky Striker guided missile, the PULS rocket artillery system, and laser-guided Lizard munitions, complemented by various air defense systems, such as the Mini-Music Direct. The company also showcases solutions in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and electro-optical domains, including the Spectro 12, a multi-spectral munition tailored for intelligence and target designation missions.
Strategic Goals and Future Prospects
Alongside Elbit Systems, other Israeli firms such as Israel Aerospace Industries, Rafael, Extend, UVision, Asio Technologies, Shilat, and Orbit Technologies are also participating. This collective representation follows discussions held by Yair Kolas, head of the International Defense Cooperation Directorate in the Israeli Ministry of Defense, with Moroccan authorities since last spring, aimed at organizing an extensive Israeli presence at the airshow. In May, Kolas characterized the anticipated participation as a "historic phase," despite the necessary licenses still being pending.
Asio Technologies and Orbit Technologies are presenting their products within the Israeli Ministry of Defense's pavilion, while the five companies participating for the first time aim to establish a foothold in the Moroccan market. The current edition of the airshow features around 200 exhibitors from 27 countries, organized in collaboration between the organizers, the Royal Armed Forces, the National Defense Administration, and several Moroccan ministries, with an expected attendance of defense ministers, chiefs of staff, and high-ranking civilian and military officials.
The ambitions of Israeli companies extend beyond the Moroccan market; they are keen to leverage the Marrakech Airshow as a platform to access other African markets. Prior to the event, Israel Aerospace Industries announced its intention to offer solutions tailored for Morocco, Africa, and the wider region, indicating its interest in expanding operations beyond Morocco.
The three major Israeli companies involved—Israel Aerospace Industries, Elbit Systems, and Rafael—already have a presence in Morocco. In 2022, Israel Aerospace Industries secured a contract to supply Morocco with the Barak MX air defense system, valued at approximately $500 million. Subsequently, Elbit Systems successfully marketed the PULS rocket launchers in Morocco and was reported to have won a deal to supply the kingdom with 36 Atmos 2000 self-propelled howitzers. Meanwhile, Rafael's Spyder system is now operational at a military base in Sidi Yahya, Morocco.
Collaboration between Morocco and Israel extends beyond mere arms transactions, encompassing research, development, manufacturing, and technology transfer. In 2022, Amir Peretz, then president of Israel Aerospace Industries and a former Israeli defense minister, visited Rabat, where he signed a cooperation agreement in aviation with Moroccan Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour. This agreement covered research, development, engineering, manufacturing components, and utilizing local suppliers, with both sides aiming to develop joint activities in Morocco.
In the following year, Israel Aerospace Industries signed an agreement with the International University of Rabat to establish a center of excellence focusing on aviation and artificial intelligence. At the current Marrakech Airshow, the company is showcasing the long-range, precision-guided LORA missile, and the Heron MK 2 drone while expressing a desire to forge new industrial partnerships and continue transferring technology to local stakeholders. However, no new contracts with Morocco have been announced during the exhibition thus far.
As reported by arabi21.com.
