Morocco's Royal Armed Forces and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the Africa Multidomain Training and Experimentation Center (AMTEC) in Morocco, a new defense hub aimed at strengthening military training, innovation and counterterrorism capabilities across Africa.
The agreement was signed on July 13 at AFRICOM headquarters and envisions the center becoming fully operational in Tan-Tan by 2030, according to AFRICOM.
AMTEC will consist of three main components: a Multidomain Training Area, a Drone Academy, and an Innovation and Experimentation Center. The project is designed to enhance military readiness, develop emerging technologies and support joint research and industrial cooperation between Morocco, the United States and African partners.
General Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces and Commander of the Southern Zone, said Morocco's existing military infrastructure and qualified personnel would allow the project to move quickly from planning to implementation while creating new opportunities for Moroccan and U.S. defense industries.
According to AFRICOM, the Multidomain Training Area will provide advanced facilities where forces can train across land, air, sea, cyber and the electromagnetic spectrum, including in contested operational environments. Meanwhile, the Drone Academy will train operators, planners and instructors from Morocco and other African countries, with a focus on integrating small unmanned aerial systems into counterterrorism operations in West Africa.
The Innovation and Experimentation Center will focus on rapidly developing and testing low-cost technologies for counterterrorism and regional security missions. AFRICOM said the initiative will also involve universities and research institutions, bringing academic experts together with military and industry teams to accelerate innovation.
AFRICOM Commander Dagvin Anderson said the center would strengthen the readiness and capabilities of both countries while creating new opportunities for U.S. and African defense industries and academic institutions to develop scalable technologies. The command added that African Lion 2027, the annual multinational military exercise hosted by Morocco, will serve as the first proof of concept for AMTEC, showcasing the integration of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and advanced communications technologies into operational environments.
