Israeli defense giants head to Marrakech as Morocco deepens military ties
IAI, Elbit, Rafael, Xtend and Uvision will showcase drones, air defense, precision weapons and satellite technologies at the October airshow.
Israel’s leading defense companies are heading to Morocco next month for the Marrakech Airshow, bringing a portfolio of air-defense systems, drones, precision weapons and satellite technologies to a country that has rapidly expanded its military relationship with Israel since normalizing ties in 2020.
Israel Aerospace Industries, Elbit Systems, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Xtend and Uvision are among the Israeli companies officially participating in the October 7-10 event at the Marrakech Royal Moroccan Air Force Base.
The gathering comes as Morocco has become an increasingly important market for Israeli defense technology. According to Business Insider, the U.S. remains Morocco’s main arms supplier (60%), but Israel is second with 24%, ahead of France (10%). Morocco has become Africa's largest arms importer, overtaking Algeria.
IAI has already supplied the country with the Barak 8 air-defense system in a deal worth about $500 million, while a much larger satellite agreement worth approximately $1 billion was signed in 2024.
The Marrakech show offers the companies a public platform to pursue what could be the next stage of that relationship, at a time when Morocco is seeking to expand its domestic aerospace and defense capabilities.
The show, held under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, describes itself as a gateway between international aerospace and defense companies and the African market. More than 150 aerospace companies are now based in Morocco, according to the event organizers, with this year's exhibition focused on industrial sovereignty, high-tech defense systems, artificial intelligence and satellite technologies.
IAI is presenting one of the broadest portfolios at the event. Its display will include air-defense systems, its OPAL collaborative combat technologies, the LORA precision-strike system and the Heron MK II medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft. The company will also showcase communication satellites, passenger-to-freighter aircraft conversion and maintenance, repair and overhaul services.
IAI says it is also seeking local cooperation, industrial partnerships, knowledge sharing and technology transfer, explicitly tying its participation to the development of local capabilities.
The Israeli companies arrive in Marrakech with an established record of sales to Morocco.
In 2022, Morocco purchased IAI's Barak MX air-defense system for approximately $500 million. The system is designed as a multilayered air-defense platform, and most of its components have already been supplied to the Moroccan army.
Morocco has also acquired Israeli unmanned aircraft. Its fleet includes the Hermes 450 and Hermes 900 from Elbit Systems, as well as Heron 1 from IAI. The country's acquisition of Israeli drones has expanded its surveillance capabilities along areas including the Atlantic coast and its southern frontier.
Morocco has also purchased Israeli artillery systems. It acquired 36 ATMOS 2000 self-propelled howitzers from Elbit Systems in 2025, while it is estimated to have acquired between eight and 12 PULS multiple rocket launchers from the company in a deal worth about $150 million, with deliveries taking place this year.
The most significant deal, however, has been in space.
According to reports, Israel and Morocco agreed to a deal under which IAI would provide Morocco with an intelligence satellite in a transaction worth approximately $1 billion. The agreement was signed in 2024, with payments tied to milestones over roughly five years.
The satellite is expected to replace Morocco's two existing Airbus satellites, Mohammed VI-A and Mohammed VI-B.
IAI did not publicly disclose the nature of the transaction when it reported the contract to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Security sources subsequently confirmed to CTech that the contract related to the Moroccan satellite deal.
The satellite deal followed the normalization of relations between Israel and Morocco under the Abraham Accords in 2020. The two countries subsequently signed a defense memorandum of understanding in November 2021, formalizing cooperation in areas including intelligence and information sharing, military training and logistical support, while opening the way for defense technology sales.
