Morocco aerospace exports may hit USD 5 billion in three years

Dhaka: Morocco's aerospace industry could see its annual exports climb to about USD 5 billion within three years, up from USD 3 billion last year, as the sector draws new suppliers for high-value parts, an industry group has said.

Mohammed Bellatig, Head of the industry association GIMAS, shared the projection on the sidelines of the Marrakech Airshow, held earlier this month.

Morocco's aerospace sector currently employs roughly 25,000 people across about 160 companies, including suppliers to Airbus, Boeing, and Safran.

The industry is now looking to move beyond producing individual components and into manufacturing more complex aerospace systems to boost local value addition.

Bellatig said the country would soon begin assembling engines and landing gear, aiming to deliver far greater added value than at present.

French defense group Safran is already expanding its presence in Morocco, building new plants to manufacture aircraft landing gear and Airbus jet engines.

The country is also eyeing a foothold in the drone industry, which officials consider a natural extension of its existing aircraft manufacturing expertise.

According to Bellatig, drone production could draw on the materials, assembly, and engineering know-how already established within Morocco's aerospace sector.

Underlining this push, Morocco signed a memorandum of understanding during the airshow with French defense startup Harmattan AI to locally manufacture autonomous drones capable of deep-strike missions at ranges up to 2,000 kilometers.

In recent years, Moroccan authorities have issued licenses to several local and foreign-backed drone ventures, including participation from Turkish firm Baykar, maker of the Bayraktar TB2.