Morocco has procured at least 150 drones from Israeli firm BlueBird Aero Systems to support various military missions.
The acquisition comes after the two countries signed a military agreement in 2021 upon reestablishing diplomatic relations.
According to local media outlets, Rabat purchased the WanderB and ThunderB vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft to bolster its air defense capabilities.
The drones will perform reconnaissance, surveillance, air defense, and emergency missions.
Although the deal’s total value was not disclosed, sources said it reached “tens of millions of dollars.”
A portion of the unmanned systems will reportedly be built in Morocco.
Azerbaijan purchased almost $7 billion arms from Israel which includes LORA tactical ballistic missiles, Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles, Harop kamikaze drones, and Loitering munitions.
Israel approved a UAE request in the middle of the summer and would supply the Gulf state with Rafael-made SPYDER mobile interceptors, two sources said, declining to provide further details due to the sensitive nature of the deal.
Saudi Arabia has purchased cyber warfare and electric countermeasures capabilities from Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense System.
WanderB and ThunderB Drones
According to BlueBird Aero Systems, the WanderB VTOL is a long-range aircraft that can take off and land without a runway.
It has a low noise level due to its electric motors, making it suitable for covert military operations.
The WanderB drone boasts an endurance of 2.5 hours and a communication range of up to 50 kilometers (31 miles).
“The drone has a maximum takeoff weight of 13 kilos, of which five correspond to the batteries and one and a half to the payload, which can be day or night cameras,” Spanish news outlet Infodron reported.
The ThunderB is described as a “robust, innovative, and versatile” system that can be used for long-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.
It can reach targets up to 150 kilometers (93 miles) away and remain aloft more than 12 hours.
© 2022, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Be the first to comment