Turkish defense company Baykar officially announced that it delivered remote-controlled Bayraktar drones to Morocco in 2024 as part of its highlight of major deals at the year's end.
In a post on its X (formerly Twitter) account, Baykar stated that Morocco received Bayraktar TB2 drones in August 2024. However, the company did not disclose the number of units delivered or the value of the deal.
Regarding Morocco, Baykar revealed its participation in the Marrakech International Airshow last November, emphasizing that this boosted its global presence.
Turkey is a key supplier of remotely piloted attack drones to Morocco, primarily used for defense purposes, including deterring attempts to breach the security wall in the Sahara region.
The Royal Armed Forces have reportedly used these drones multiple times to target militants from the separatist Polisario Front infiltrating the buffer zone.
Over the past years, several reports have highlighted Morocco's heavy reliance on Turkish-made Bayraktar drones for airstrikes against separatist militants east and south of the sand wall.
In September 2021, Morocco received its first batch of Bayraktar TB2 drones, as revealed by the FAR Maroc forum, which specializes in Moroccan military news.
In 2022, the Spanish defense-focused website Info Defensa reported that Morocco allocated $59 million for the purchase of 13 Bayraktar TB2 drones. The deal also included four ground control stations for operating the drones, a simulation system for military drone training, and a system for data storage and tracking.
In 2023, Turkey disclosed a list of countries that had signed contracts to acquire its advanced Bayraktar Akıncı combat drones. Morocco was among the countries listed, having acquired this second model of Turkish drones in addition to the Bayraktar TB2.
Defense industry sources reported that Baykar’s agreements cover 30 countries receiving both the Akıncı and TB2 models, including Morocco. Additionally, 31 countries acquired the widely-used Bayraktar TB2, while 8 countries received only the Akıncı model.
The comprehensive list of recipients, alongside Morocco, includes other Arab nations such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Somalia, with Morocco being among the seven nations to have acquired both drone models.
