Morocco aerospace exports could rise to $5bn, says industry group

Morocco's aerospace industry could see its annual exports soar to approximately $5 billion within three years from $3 billion last year, according to the head of the industry association GIMAS, Mohammed Bellatig. The North African nation's aerospace sector, comprising around 25,000 individuals working in approximately 160 companies, collaborates with prominent manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing, and Safran.

GIMAS aims to boost the local value added by shifting from producing individual components to manufacturing more sophisticated aerospace systems. Bellatig revealed that Morocco will soon be assembling engines and landing gear, thereby providing significantly greater value than currently. French defense group Safran is expanding its presence in Morocco by constructing plants for producing aircraft landing gear and Airbus jet engines.

Furthermore, Morocco is exploring opportunities in the expanding drone industry, which officials view as a natural progression from existing aircraft manufacturing capabilities. The push for drone production gained traction during the October 7-10 Marrakech Air Show, where Morocco signed a memorandum of understanding with French defense startup Harmattan AI to manufacture autonomous drones for deep-strike missions with ranges up to 2,000 km, leveraging local expertise in materials, assembly, and engineering.

Moroccan authorities have been supportive of drone projects in recent years, issuing licenses to a series of local and foreign-backed endeavors, involving companies such as Turkish Baykar, the producer of the Bayraktar TB2.