Denver – Turkey has reportedly expanded its drone sales to Ethiopia and Morocco as both countries seek to modernize their military capabilities in the face of regional conflicts.
Although Turkey, Morocco, and Ethiopia have yet to release official statements confirming the deal, sources familiar with the arms deal state the countries both requested purchases of the Bayraktar TB-2 drones from Ankara, reports Reuters. The sources relayed the deal would also include spare parts and training.
Both Morocco and Ethiopia are currently facing regional tensions and have sought to increase their military capabilities to better address these threats. Morocco had previously received a batch of drones from Turkey under an arms agreement earlier this year.
The first batch delivered to Morocco consisted of thirteen TB-2 drones, which were confirmed to be delivered in September. Both Rabat and Addis Ababa have remained vague on their drone purchases to avoid stoking current tensions between the US and Turkey.
Earlier this year, Morocco’s armed forces spent $70 million on its first drone purchase from Turkey. Moroccan military personnel also attended a training event in Ankara in July to further specialize in their drone operational capabilities.
Turkey’s TB-2 drone has increased in popularity among several countries due to its high effectiveness and relatively cheap price in comparison to Western manufacturers. Turkish drones have been used in conflicts ranging from eastern Europe to the MENA region.
Within the past year, Turkey’s defense exports have increased by 39%, which has largely been attributed to its expansion in drone sales during the past year. In addition to current deals with Morocco and Ethiopia, Ankara is reportedly also negotiating a $69 million dollar deal with Ukraine to contribute drones for the current conflict raging in the eastern portion of the country.
