Israel opens its first national pavilion at Morocco’s Marrakech Air Show
Israel’s Defence Ministry announced its first official participation and national pavilion at the Marrakech Air Show in Morocco, where eight Israeli defence companies are exhibiting. It is the first official Israeli participation in a defence exhibition in Morocco since the December 2020 trilateral agreement. The ministry ties the move to its push to raise defence exports and cooperation, and no new sales contract has been announced.
Geopolitics··Midday
Israel announces its first official presence at the Marrakech Air Show
Israel’s Defence Ministry announced its first official participation, delegation and national pavilion at the Marrakech Air Show in Morocco. The ministry-led delegation is the first official Israeli participation in a defence exhibition in Morocco since the December 2020 trilateral agreement.[1], [2]
Yair Kulas, head of the ministry’s SIBAT directorate, its defence-export unit, called participation a milestone for the defence industry; that is the official’s own assessment. The ministry presents the pavilion as part of its strategy to increase defence exports and cooperation with other countries, and says meetings took place with foreign delegations and government officials during the exhibition. The announcement does not disclose any new sales contract.[1]
Eight Israeli companies exhibit, five in the national pavilion
Eight Israeli companies are exhibiting. The national pavilion includes ASIO Technologies, Orbit Communication Systems, Shilat Optronics, Uvision Air and Xtend Systems, while the largest firms, Rafael, Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, have their own booths.[1]
The ministry lists loitering munitions, which are drones that circle before striking, AI-powered robotic systems, autonomous navigation for unmanned aircraft, laser guidance and satellite communications among the technologies on show. Its description of the equipment as combat-proven is the ministry’s own claim; no independent performance assessment accompanies it.[1]
Morocco joined the Abraham Accords process in 2020 and the show draws over 200 exhibitors
Morocco joined the Abraham Accords process, the track for normalising ties with Israel, in December 2020. The biennial Marrakech exhibition has taken place since 2008 and attracts more than 200 exhibitors from roughly twenty-four countries.[1]
Morocco spent more than 6 billion dollars on defence last year. That figure describes past spending and says nothing about the value of any order announced at the show.[1]
