26OCT

EDGE Group sells Morocco drone bombs

2 min read

15:07UTC

The UAE's EDGE Group signed at the Marrakech Air Show to supply DESERT STING 16 glide bombs and THUNDER P-31 guidance kits for Morocco's armed drones.

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TechnologyAssessed

Key takeaway

EDGE Group will supply guided glide bombs and guidance kits for Morocco's armed drones.

A Gulf arms group is now arming Morocco's drone fleet. EDGE Group of the United Arab Emirates said on 9 October it had signed a contract at the Marrakech Air Show with Morocco's Administration of National Defence for DESERT STING 16 (DS-16) guided glide bombs and THUNDER P-31 guidance kits⁠¹. The weapons are for the Royal Moroccan Air Force's armed drones, and the contract adds integration and long-term support. A separate memorandum explores producing small arms and aero engines in Morocco⁠². EDGE disclosed no value.

EDGE's release names no airframe. Baykar confirmed in January 2025 that it had delivered Turkish-built Bayraktar TB2 drones to Morocco⁠³; Baykar's export reach runs as far as Asia, where Indonesia ordered its Kızılelma drones in May.

A UN report of October 2023 records allegations of Royal Moroccan Army drone strikes east of the berm in Western Sahara, the territory Morocco disputes with the Polisario Front. An aerial strike there in November 2022 reportedly killed six civilians, the UN said, citing Polisario and local media⁠⁴.

Deep Analysis

In plain English

Morocco's air force flies armed drones, including Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2s. Drones need bombs and missiles small enough to carry. EDGE Group, a large state-backed arms company in the United Arab Emirates, signed a contract to supply guided glide bombs and kits that turn simple bombs into guided ones, plus the work to fit them. The two sides also signed a separate agreement to explore making small arms and aircraft engines in Morocco.

Deep Analysis

Root Causes

The UAE opened a consulate in Laayoune, in Western Sahara, in 2020, backing Morocco's claim to the territory. Defence-industrial ties follow that political alignment.

Morocco's armed drones need a steady supply of weapons to stay useful. A buyer that depends on one country for both aircraft and munitions can be grounded by a single export decision, which gives Rabat a reason to add a second munitions source.

What could happen next?

Consequence
Morocco's armed drones gain an Emirati munitions supplier.
Short term · Reported
Opportunity
EDGE gains a production foothold in North Africa if the memorandum leads to contracts.
Long term · Suggested
Risk
More capable drone munitions raise the stakes of any strikes in disputed Western Sahara.
Medium term · Suggested

Source Landscape

This story draws on neutral-leaning sources

Primary parallel: For years Washington restricted armed-drone exports under its reading of the Missile Technology Control Regime, and buyers turned to Chinese Wing Loong and Turkish TB2 aircraft instead. The United States eased that reading in July 2020, after rivals had filled the gap. By 2026 munitions for those drones had become a separate market, which EDGE now sells into.

Counter-parallel: No close counter-parallel applies yet. Until EDGE or Rabat names the airframe, it is unclear whether this deal separates weapon supplier from aircraft supplier at all.

Immediate: no value or quantity was published for the bombs or guidance kits.

Structural: the memorandum on small arms and aero engines points to EDGE building an industrial base in North Africa, with Morocco as its foothold. EDGE's Hamad Al Marar called Morocco 'a key partner for EDGE in Africa'.

Consensus view: EDGE's Saif Al Dahbashi pitched the deal as 'assured supply and long-term sustainment', EDGE names no airframe for the munitions.

Counter-view: Military Africa reports that the contract includes aircraft modifications and software integration. That work suggests the munitions are not a simple bolt-on, and Morocco will depend on EDGE for support as long as it flies them.

Key tension: Which of Morocco's drones will carry the munitions, which EDGE has not said.

First Reported In

Update #19 · China puts drone-part exports under licence

Military Africa· 26 Oct 2026

Read original →

Different Perspectives

Nigerian Air Force

The air force listed 12 Turkish Aksungur and two Chinese CH-4D armed drones on 25 October. No contract has been published, so these are plans.

Civilians in Western Sahara

A UN report of October 2023 records allegations of Moroccan drone strikes east of the berm. An aerial strike there in November 2022 reportedly killed six civilians, the UN said, citing Polisario and local media.

Thunder Tiger

The Taichung company said on 16 October that all 1,520 of its Gauntlet I attack drones passed inspection. Its MoU with AeroVironment covers fitting Switchblade to its uncrewed boats and ground vehicles and exploring joint production in Taiwan.

EDGE Group

The Emirati group said on 9 October it will supply glide bombs and guidance kits for the Royal Moroccan Air Force's armed drones. A separate memorandum explores making small arms and aero engines in Morocco.

Rajnath Singh

India's Defence Acquisition Council, which he chairs, approved about Rs 2.12 lakh crore of proposals on 26 October, including kamikaze drones and tank-mounted counter-drone systems. About 82 per cent of the value is to go to Indian industry, by the ministry's account.

Kongsberg

The Norwegian group said on 13 October it will invest more than 200m zlotys in a Pomeranian plant to build and maintain SAN counter-drone systems. It expects series output to begin in the first half of 2028.

Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Editorial standards.