Morocco is taking on a new role in the global defence industry after the US Army opened a military testing range in the country to private companies developing missiles, drones and other weapons.
The move makes Morocco the only international location among five ranges now available to defence companies under a new US Army initiative designed to speed up weapons development and reduce lengthy testing delays.
The initiative was announced by US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who said companies have historically waited 12 to 18 months to secure access to major US testing facilities.
The Army now wants promising companies to gain access to a suitable range within 30 days of submitting a request.
Morocco's Multidomain Training Area is the international range included in the programme. It is located in the southwestern part of the country and forms part of a broader US-Moroccan effort to build a new defence experimentation ecosystem.
