The Moroccan Military Industry (MMI), a subsidiary of Israel's renowned Elbit Systems, is gearing up to commence the delivery of advanced armored vehicle turrets to the Moroccan armed forces starting in March 2027. This strategic move comes as Morocco intensifies its efforts to enhance its military capabilities through partnerships with foreign entities. The announcement was made by MMI's general manager during the Marrakech Air Show, highlighting the burgeoning collaboration between Morocco and Israel since the resumption of diplomatic ties in 2020, followed by a defense cooperation agreement in 2021.
Located within the Midparc industrial zone near Casablanca, MMI has already established a weapons systems facility. Furthermore, a second plant is under construction in Sidi Yahya, situated north of Rabat, with the objective of manufacturing medium and large-caliber ammunition. This initiative underscores Morocco's commitment to developing its military industry and reducing reliance on foreign imports. MMI's general manager, Kaduri Naor, emphasized the company's collaboration with Morocco's defense administration to produce turrets that will be integrated into 8x8 armored vehicles, which are being assembled in Morocco by India's Tata Group.
In addition to the turret deliveries, MMI is also working on an anti-drone variant of the turret, targeting a rapidly evolving global market as military forces seek cost-effective solutions against aerial threats. Notably, the ammunition for this anti-drone system will also be produced domestically in Morocco. Equipped with a small radar system designed to detect incoming drones, this innovative turret will deploy tungsten fragments to neutralize the threat efficiently.
Moreover, MMI is planning to develop a self-propelled mortar system that can be mounted on vehicles, further diversifying its offerings to the Moroccan military. Naor expressed the company's ambitions to use Morocco as a strategic base for exports, hinting at potential customers in European NATO countries, although he refrained from disclosing specific details. Impressively, 99 percent of MMI’s workforce, including its engineers, are Moroccan nationals, highlighting the local investment in the defense sector.
As reported by arabnews.com.
