Aeronautics: First Steps Toward Technological Sovereignty

Experts unanimously agree: If the Moroccan aeronautics ecosystem wishes to move beyond subcontracting, climb the value chain, and produce more complex components, it must go all-in on innovation and research.

In recent years, more or less ambitious initiatives have emerged in this field. Some of them stand out due to their scope and ambition, and are likely to foster the emergence of technologies designed and produced in Morocco by Moroccan talent.

This is the case with AMC Labs, a new collaborative and innovative space—unprecedented in Morocco—whose official inauguration has just taken place.

Launched on the initiative of the Aerospace Moroccan Cluster (AMC, see sidebar), AMC Labs is the very first aeronautics prototyping center in Morocco.

Nestled at the heart of the Institut des métiers de l’aéronautique near Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca, this center serves as an incubator for startups, supporting the development of high-level industrial prototypes linked to the aeronautics sector.

Implicitly, this center ultimately aims to secure a degree of strategic and technological independence for the Moroccan industrial base.

This is still far from being achieved, of course, but the ambition is there, as Adil Jalali, President of GIMAS (Groupement des industries marocaines aéronautiques et spatiales), emphasizes: “We started small. We are now in an industry that is developing in production and engineering. We are now entering a new phase: that of innovation, to bring forward Moroccan companies that will be at the forefront of this sector.”

An “Aerospace-Standard” Prototyping Center

One of the strengths of this prototyping center is that it is aerospace-standard compliant. This means it provides startups with machines, tools, software, and measurement instruments that meet the technical and quality standards required in the aerospace industry.

These standards ensure that the parts produced or tested are reliable, safe, and traceable, as they will be used in aircraft or critical systems.

Among these machines—some of which are very expensive and were previously difficult for startups to access for project development—are equipment for machining, composites, 3D printing, as well as inspection and metrology tools.

Making the entire toolkit necessary for aerospace prototyping available to startups in a collaborative space like AMC Labs is a real “game changer,” according to the project’s initiators.

“This lab will allow startups to work according to aerospace standards and create significant added value, thus enabling the Moroccan aerospace sector to move up a notch—from a production mindset to one focused on creating intellectual property and patents,” explains Saïd Benhajjou, President of AMC.

The prototyping center is therefore designed to accelerate the journey from idea to product, enhance the competitiveness of Moroccan industrial players, and elevate local talent.

“Young people now have a place to invent, design, test, perhaps make mistakes, and create real aerospace-standard projects that carry value and meet industrial standards,” says Fatima-Azzahra Driouach, General Director of AMC. “This is a real breakthrough. Today, we have the means to empower these young people to achieve their ambitions,” she adds.

Simulators, Drones, Space…

For its launch, a handful of startups and innovative companies are being hosted at AMC Labs. Two of them operate in the space sector, led by Moroccans living abroad (MRE) who have worked in the space industry in the United States and Europe and are returning to their home country with startup projects.

AMC Labs also hosts aircraft simulator projects, modular kits, and solutions for drones—designed and manufactured in Morocco. “This is just the beginning,” Driouach states.

“The vision of our cluster is to develop a true techno-center, representative of the genius of young Moroccan talents, researchers, and industrial players,” she adds.

In terms of staffing and supported startups, the center aims to scale up quickly, with the goal of eventually supporting around forty startups in prototyping, which could become full-fledged industrial companies in the future.

Alongside this AMC initiative, other key players in the aerospace ecosystem are launching projects to foster innovation. This is the case with Boeing.

The American giant, which is structuring its ecosystem of local suppliers and developing a sourcing platform in Morocco, has formalized a partnership with the Africa Center of Manufacturing Excellence (ACME), the collaborative research and development center of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), specializing in advanced manufacturing, Industry 4.0, automation, and new materials.

This partnership also involves the Moroccan Ministries of Industry and Defense.

The outcome: Technology and know-how transfer. As the cherry on top, the American aircraft manufacturer has chosen NTS Technics, a 100% Moroccan company based in Bouznika, as an engineering partner. The company is supported by the manufacturer to achieve certified “Design Level 3” supplier status.

AMC: A Unifying Force

The Aerospace Moroccan Cluster (AMC), the entity behind the creation of the prototyping center, plays a central role in the development of the aerospace sector in Morocco.

Based in Casablanca at the Nouaceur Technopole, AMC is, as its name indicates, a consortium that brings together academia, research centers, and industrial players in the Moroccan aeronautics sector, with the mission of stimulating innovation and promoting research and development projects.

In total, the cluster has 227 members. By uniting different stakeholders around innovative projects and pooling resources, AMC aims to enhance Morocco’s industrial competitiveness and position the country as a major player in the design and manufacturing of aeronautical technologies, thereby moving beyond the current subcontracting model.

The cluster thus works to facilitate the integration of local players into the global aerospace supply chain.