Rabat – Since bringing the Guerguerate situation under control in late 2020, Morocco has utilized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), more commonly known as drones, to counter any movements by the Polisario Front in the area.
Spanish outlet Defensa highlighted how drones, particularly Chinese-made Wing Loong models, have helped the North African country monitor the situation in its southern provinces and keep it under control for the next two years.
The first instance of the drones being used for combat was recorded in April 2021, the outlet said, when the unmanned vehicles thwarted a Polisario commander and other members from initiating an offensive operation.
Over the next several months, Morocco used the drones to stop several Polisario operations to launch offensives into the buffer zone or other areas.
It appears that Morocco is betting on drones to quell Polisario maneuvers while making significant, difficult-to-reverse progress on the diplomatic front. as the future for settling the Sahara dispute, as well, as the country has continued upgrading its UAV arsenal since 2020.
The country has continued upgrading its UAV arsenal since 2020. It acquired Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones in 2021, as well as upgraded Wing Loong II models from China, and WanderB and ThunderB types from Israel.
The arrival of the Wing Loong II models could mean the retirement of the older ones, Defensa added, signaling plans in Morocco to continue upgrading its drone systems.
Defensa added that Morocco has deployed UAVs to various bases throughout the Sahara, including in Laayoune and Smara.
Laayoune has emerged as a base for Wing Loong drones thanks to its SATCOM infrastructure which allowed the drones to perform missions beyond a 300 kilometer range.
Morocco’s armed forces even established a special squadron dedicated to operating the drones. The Air Control and Reconnaissance System (SACR) operates the types of drones mentioned above, in addition to the Israeli-manufactured HERON 1 and Hermes-900 models.
Morocco took another step to strengthen its arsenal in 2022, when Abdellatif Loudiyi, the Minister Delegate to the Head of Government, in charge of the National Defense Administration, announced the country’s plans to manufacture its own drones.
Loudiyi said Morocco is looking into establishing a domestic arms manufacturing industry, with a particular focus on drones.
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