Turkish drone operator Baykar delivers to Morocco the Bayraktar TB-2 in anticipation of the Akinci

The Turkish defense firm Baykar Makina, present at the Marrakech Air Show last November, revealed in its 2024 annual report that it had delivered Bayraktar TB-2 attack drones to the Royal Air Forces last August. This supply, part of a 2021 order, precedes that of the Akinci model expected very soon

The Turkish Baykar Makina officially announced the delivery of Bayraktar TB-2 drones to Morocco last August, we learn from its annual report for 2024. The number of units not being mentioned, nor the amount of the transaction, it It is not specified whether this is a partial batch of the order initiated in 2021.

Baykar recalls that he participated in the Marrakech International Air Show last November, stressing that this increased his international exposure.

As a reminder, Morocco had in April 2021 ordered 12 Bayraktar TB2 aircraft (plus a thirteenth spare) as well as four ground pilot stations. The pace of rotations of FRA wide-body aircraft to Turkey coincided in April 2022 with those of partial deliveries, but also of the sending of UAV pilots for training.

The TB2 drone of Turkish design and manufacture acquired by Morocco. Infographic: Mohamed Drissi K. / Le Desk

At the end of 2021, barely two months after receiving its first examples of TB2, the royal army was already preparing to place a new order with the Baykar group.

This second contract covered a minimum batch of six new aircraft, thus bringing the attack fleet to around twenty armed drones having demonstrated their capabilities in several theaters of war, in the Caucasus, more recently in Ukraine facing columns of Russian armored vehicles, but also very probably on the territory of Western Sahara where strikes against convoys of trucks and pickups are regularly recorded.

The Royal Armed Forces (FAR) imposed a paid air supremacy of “no go zone” to prohibit any incursion by armed Polisario militias.

Morocco waiting for the Akinci model

Morocco should also soon receive several units of the Turkish Bayraktar Akinci drone, according to concordant specialist sources.

This order, the first delivery of which is planned for February 2025, is intended to improve Morocco’s military air capabilities to face growing security challenges in the region.

The more advanced Akinci model constitutes a qualitative step towards advanced military technological integration, it is believed. A model of the Akinci drone displaying the Royal Air Forces (FRA) roundel was presented during the Marrakech Air Show on the stand of drone manufacturer Baykar.

With its 4 meters in height, 12 meters in length and 20 meters in wingspan, the Akinci drone is currently one of the most modern and advanced on the market. Thanks to its sensors, it can take off and land autonomously and has a navigation system based on pre-programmed routes, very useful for espionage or patrols. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 6,000 kilograms, of which 1,500 are dedicated to payloads.

Equipped with a pair of turboprop engines of 750 horsepower each, it can go at a cruising speed of 277 km/h and a maximum speed of 361 km/h.

The drone Akinci, future major asset of the Royal Air Forces. Infographic: Mohamed Mhannaoui / Le Desk

Akinci is also equipped with two satellite communication systems, an air-to-air radar, an anti-collision radar and a synthetic aperture radar. The autonomy of the Akinci drone can reach 24 hours at a maximum altitude of 12,192 meters, depending on weather conditions and load.

Akinci drones feature high precision surveillance and attack capabilities, as well as artificial intelligence technology that makes them more effective on the battlefield. They can carry 1,500 kilograms of ammunition, including high-precision guided missiles, explains the Turkish manufacturer. It is an ideal tool for defensive and offensive missions.

By adding Akinci unmanned aircraft to its military arsenal, Morocco continues to strengthen its position in the strategic balance of the region and its capabilities in the fight against terrorism and the security of sensitive border areas.

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