Morocco Becomes First Drone Manufacturer in North Africa and Middle East

Doha - Morocco has become the first country in North Africa and the Middle East, after Israel, to manufacture advanced suicide drones, entering the club of drone manufacturers following its latest deal with Israel, according to reports by El Español and I24News.
According to I24News, the Israeli weapons company BlueBird, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) specializing in the design, development, and manufacture of drones, recently conducted the first field test of its new SpyX suicide drone in Morocco. The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) are equipped with this drone, and the experimental operation was deemed a great success, as shown in a video posted on BlueBird’s website.
El Español described the mission as involving attacking a decommissioned Ratel IFV armored vehicle belonging to the FAR. The drone reached its target and collided with the armored vehicle, causing an explosion.
Designed for reconnaissance and attack missions, the SpyX drone has a range of 50 kilometers and can be deployed for an hour and a half.
According to both newspapers, its range and autonomy provide a series of operational advantages thanks to its target detection system, in addition to having a dual day/thermal sensor. This aircraft is also capable of reaching its enemies or targets at a speed of 250 kilometers per hour and can be carried and deployed by a crew of two soldiers.
I24News reported that Israeli media first mentioned the appearance of these drones in Morocco in June 2023, indicating that the FAR tested the drones and then purchased them in large quantities, making them the first army to integrate this type of drone after BlueBird introduced them just a few months earlier.