Turkish defence company's Morocco drone investment isn't what it seems
Turkey’s leading drone manufacturer Baykar has established a subsidiary in Morocco to set up a maintenance facility for the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) it sold to Rabat, Middle East Eye understands.
Atlas Defence, the subsidiary, was officially registered with the Moroccan Trade Registry on 5 December 2024. According to a notice in the Moroccan Official Gazette published on 29 January, the Rabat-based company has a paid-up capital of 2.5 million dirhams ($680,000).
The notice states that the company will operate in the fields of drone design, production and manufacturing.
Despite widespread reports and claims that Baykar would establish full-blown factories to produce drones in Morocco, the subsidiary’s relatively low capital suggests it is unlikely to run a production line there.
A source familiar with the matter told MEE that Baykar was required to set up this subsidiary in order to provide maintenance and spare parts services for the drones it sold in 2021, as Moroccan regulations mandate that foreign companies must establish local entities to operate in the country.
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In September 2021, Morocco took delivery of the first batch of 13 armed drones it purchased from Baykar in a deal reportedly worth $70 million.
The source further explained that Baykar’s strategic investments in foreign markets, including the establishment of factories and assembly lines, have been transparent.
The company is currently constructing a factory in Ukraine and has multiple facilities across the region, including a reported assembly line in Saudi Arabia.
However, Turkish defence experts do not view Morocco as a strategic market that would significantly boost Baykar’s production and sales figures.
Baykar, owned by Selcuk Bayraktar, the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has emerged as a global leader in drone technology.
The company’s success has been driven by the popularity of its Bayraktar TB2 drones, which demonstrated their effectiveness in conflicts such as those in Libya, Azerbaijan and Ukraine.
Morocco reportedly acquired the TB2 systems to bolster its capabilities against the Polisario Front, which advocates for the independence of Western Sahara - a disputed territory claimed by Rabat.
The 2021 drone sale angered neighbouring Algeria, a supporter of the Polisario Front. Ankara capitalised on the tensions by selling Anka drones, produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), to Algeria in 2022.
Additionally, Morocco was reportedly preparing to integrate Turkish Bayraktar Akinci combat drones into its arsenal in 2024, according to an article by local outlet Le Desk in November.
The Akinci drone is a significant upgrade from its predecessor, the TB2, offering advanced features and a higher payload capacity.
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