‘Israel’s’ Military Manufacturing Venture in Morocco: A National Security Threat or Regional Rivalry?

Despite warnings over the dangers that “Israel” entrenchment could pose to national security, Moroccan authorities continue to deepen their military and defense‑industry cooperation with “Israel,” stirring unease in Spain.

BlueBird Aero Systems, a subsidiary of “Israel” Aerospace Industries, has opened the first facility of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa for the production of SpyX “suicide drones” in the city of Benslimane, on the outskirts of Casablanca.

According to the Israeli newspaper Globes, on November 16, 2025, the new plant will specialize in manufacturing and assembling SpyX loitering munitions, known for their ability to carry out precision strike missions by autonomously tracking targets before diving in and destroying them.

Military Cooperation

The website reported that the suicide drone, which was tested by the Moroccan army in March 2024, is capable of carrying a 2.5-kilogram warhead and can reach speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour, with the ability to remain airborne for up to 90 minutes, thanks to its high level of autonomy.

This type of drone is specifically directed to strike tanks, armored vehicles, and military bases.

Globes reports that “Morocco” views this project as a key step towards enhancing its defense independence, with Moroccan engineers and technicians set to carry out assembly and maintenance operations after receiving advanced technical training provided by the Israeli company. This training is aimed at transferring technology and building local expertise.

The Moroccan-“Israeli” military cooperation was also reflected in a deal signed in February 2023, worth $500 million, to supply Rabat with the “Barak MX” air and missile defense system, produced by “Israel” Aerospace Industries. 

The system is one of the most advanced air defense systems, designed to counter missile and aircraft threats and capable of operating from both naval and land-based platforms.

Two years earlier, Rabat had purchased the “Sky Lock Dome,” a counter-drone system from “Israel”.

In July 2023, the head of the Israeli liaison office in Rabat, Shai Cohen, announced that the Israeli defense company “Elbit Systems” planned to open two factories for the production of Israeli drones in Morocco, with one likely to be in Casablanca.

In February 2025, reports indicated that Morocco had purchased 36 Atmos units from “Elbit Systems.”

This system includes a howitzer capable of firing all standard NATO-approved 155mm shells and projectiles, with an effective range of over 40 kilometers with conventional shells, and an even greater range with rocket-assisted projectiles.

It was also reported that Morocco had acquired “Barak MX” air defense systems from “IAI” and “Spider” systems from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, underscoring how “Israeli” weapons have become an integral part of the Moroccan military.

Bolstering the Arsenal

In August 2025, Morocco successfully completed a test of the "Extra" guided missiles, produced by “Elbit” and “IAI,” as part of a military exercise held in the southeast of the country.

These missiles have a caliber of 306mm, a range of up to 150 kilometers, and a warhead weighing 120 kilograms.

The Moroccan minister in charge of defense, Abdellatif Loudyi, stated in November 2023 that Morocco aims to strengthen its military manufacturing sector.

He mentioned in the Parliament that Rabat has signed a number of partnerships and agreements to develop weapons and military equipment, highlighting that Morocco seeks to attract foreign investment in this field.

In recent years, Rabat has bolstered its arsenal by acquiring various “Israeli” systems, including the “Ofek 13” reconnaissance satellites, which were chosen as an alternative to traditional suppliers Airbus and Thales. 

The kingdom also purchased the "Atmos" artillery system, acquiring 36 units that operate with NATO-standard munitions, along with "Barak 8" and "Spider" air defense systems.

In addition to the long-range "Extra" guided missiles, which were successfully tested in the southeast of Morocco in 2024, with a range of up to 150 kilometers.

Morocco also purchased the "PULS" system, a multiple-launch rocket system, in a deal valued at $150 million.

In parallel, Rabat continues to strengthen its arsenal of American weapons, including advanced "Abrams" tanks.

Since the normalization of relations between Morocco and “Israel” following the 2020 trilateral agreement with the United States under former President Donald Trump, relations between the two countries have grown significantly, both economically and militarily.

Political Stance

In her assessment of the situation, the president of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, lawyer Souad Abdel Brahim, argued that "the establishment of a drone manufacturing plant on Moroccan soil is an extremely dangerous step, legally and human rights-wise unacceptable."

Brahim emphasized to Al-Estiklal that these drones "could be used, either directly or indirectly, to commit grave violations against Palestinian civilians in Gaza and in the Palestinian territories in general, including war crimes and genocide."

The human rights activist pointed out that this "directly contradicts the principles of international law, especially the duty of non-complicity."

"Everyone knows that ‘Israeli’ drones are one of the primary tools used in attacks targeting civilians, and therefore, establishing a related industry in Morocco constitutes a clear violation of the kingdom's international obligations," she said.

The president of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights further explained that "this step clashes with the popular will in Morocco, which rejects normalization, tarnishes the country’s human rights image, and drags the nation into military arrangements that are fundamentally at odds with the principles of human rights."

Based on this, Brahim called, on behalf of her association, for "the immediate closure of this project and the cessation of all forms of military and security cooperation with ‘Israel’."

She added, "This is in line with Morocco’s international obligations and its moral and legal duty to protect the rights of the Palestinian people."

In contrast to this cautious stance regarding the infiltration of "Israel" into Moroccan territory, Mohamed al-Tayyar, head of the National Observatory for Strategic Studies, views the opening of the suicide drone factory as a "qualitative development in Morocco’s defense industrial system."

Al-Tayyar told the local website Achkayen on November 14, 2025, that "this opening is not just about local manufacturing, but it also allows Morocco to enter the field of developing smart munitions, while building national expertise in military engineering, defense electronics, and the precise maintenance of drones."

He affirmed that "Morocco's participation in advanced training and the launch of the first local production line in Benslimane represents a qualitative shift in the nation’s defense development path, marking an important transition from merely benefiting from foreign expertise to transferring and imparting it. This confirms the kingdom’s entry into the era of self-sufficient defense manufacturing."

Al-Tayyar explained that "this shift will allow Morocco, at the security and military levels, to possess advanced capabilities in surveillance, reconnaissance, and smart deterrence, while reducing its dependence on foreign powers by training specialized national military personnel in drone technology and military artificial intelligence."

"This will enhance the readiness and technical independence of Morocco's military capabilities, meaning that the country will have highly trained, well-organized, and experienced national expertise."

"Morocco’s unprecedented increase in defense spending, with 157.171 billion dirhams ($15.7 billion) allocated in the 2026 Finance Bill for modernizing the armed forces and developing the national defense industry, represents a strategic shift that reflects the kingdom’s continued commitment to military modernization and the enhancement of its security and industrial sovereignty," al-Tayyar concluded.

Rivalry with Spain

Other analyses suggest that Morocco's increased cooperation with “Israel” is part of a broader regional and military competition, particularly with the kingdom's northern neighbor, Spain.

Spain has expressed early concern over Morocco’s activities, which was reflected in a response from the Spanish Lower House to a question raised by representatives of the far-right “Vox” party regarding Madrid’s readiness to respond to any potential attack using "suicide drones" from Morocco. The response was unequivocal, "The response will be firm."

According to a report by the Spanish newspaper El Confidencial Digital on July 29, 2025, this official threat comes amid frequent reports about Morocco's efforts to enhance its arsenal of suicide drones.

Spanish media outlets and opposition parties have repeatedly suggested the existence of what they have called Morocco’s "secret agenda," claiming that Rabat is now capable of striking the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, thanks to its acquisition of “Israeli” drones.

In this context, the report noted that "Rabat is one of the main countries that will produce and export drones under a license from Tel Aviv to the international market."

It also mentioned that the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces now possess "suicide drone" technology, specifically the "SpyX" weapon, which is being developed with Israeli technology by the company BlueBird Aero Systems.

The report highlighted that this technology, along with an existing fleet of 233 drones, makes Morocco the second-largest drone power in Africa after Egypt, according to the Spanish newspaper.

In the global military power ranking conducted by Global Fire Power, which included 145 countries, Morocco ranked 61st while Spain ranked 20th. However, for the “Vox” party, the capabilities of the "SpyX" suicide drones are considered to surpass those of Spain’s current drone fleet.

In 2024, Morocco signed a contract with the United States to acquire 18 HIMARS rocket launch systems and 112 ground-to-ground missiles, with ranges between 82 and 305 kilometers.

This deal has raised concerns in Spain, with El Confidencial reporting that such information "raises alarm," as Morocco could use these American weapons to monitor its borders and key maritime routes.

To counter this "potential threat," Spanish reports revealed that the Ministry of Defense had deployed counter-drone systems in areas under Spanish sovereignty in the territorial waters north of Morocco, with the aim of "protecting these regions."

Technological Race

In its latest move in this regard, the Spanish government has given the green light to a new military space program aimed at strengthening the country’s capabilities in space surveillance and reconnaissance. 

The initiative involves funding the company “Hisdesat” with €1.012 billion to develop the "PAZ 2" satellite system, which will replace the current "PAZ 1" satellite, whose operational life is expected to end in 2030.

According to a report by the Spanish website Info Defensa on September 3, 2025, the new program includes the manufacture and launch of two satellites between 2031 and 2032, equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology.

These satellites will enhance operational capabilities sixteenfold compared with the current system, while improving image resolution to just a few centimeters and tripling daily coverage.

The new system will also provide multi-polarization imagery and employ artificial intelligence to automatically interpret targets, giving Spain a technological edge in surveillance.

The Spanish Ministry of Defense emphasized that the program forms part of a strategy to protect national interests, providing accurate and timely information to the military, public administrations, and international bodies across a range of areas, including intelligence and national security, natural disaster and emergency management, monitoring of critical infrastructure, and border control.

The project will be implemented by “Airbus Defense and Space Spain,” with a local participation rate of 65 percent, covering design, manufacturing, testing, launch, and initial operations, in addition to insurance and logistics services.

The report stressed that Spain’s launch of the new military "PAZ 2" program cannot be viewed in isolation from regional developments, particularly Morocco’s growing interest in space as part of its defense and strategic framework.

It noted that Morocco has itself launched advanced satellites in recent years, including Mohammed VI-A and B, with high capabilities in remote sensing and border surveillance.

The source highlighted that "this step has placed Rabat among a limited number of African countries capable of utilizing satellite imagery for military, security, and developmental purposes."

The report argued that this parallel between Madrid and Rabat reflects the region’s entry into a technological and security race in space, which will have direct implications for strategic balances in the western Mediterranean.

It concluded that while Spain seeks to ensure its European independence in space surveillance, Morocco aims to cement its position as a rising power, not only in Africa but also as an "indispensable partner" in regional security.