Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces worked with U.S. military personnel in Agadir in September to strengthen their ability to operate small drones, train instructors, and integrate unmanned aircraft into military missions, according to a report published by the U.S. Army on October 1.
The course brought together Moroccan troops, the Utah National Guard and instructors from the U.S. Army’s Combined Arms Training Center in Germany, with the involvement of U.S. Africa Command. It focused on developing a shared understanding of drone operations and planning to help the two countries’ forces work together during future exercises.
Beyond piloting, participants studied mission planning, meteorology, safety, and teaching methods. The training was designed to prepare personnel to pass those skills on within their units and improve the tactical use of small unmanned aircraft.
Mohammed Idamr, a member of the Royal Armed Forces who attended the course, said the instruction strengthened Moroccan participants’ understanding of how drones can support military missions and improve situational awareness. He also highlighted its value in training qualified personnel and applying drone capabilities within the armed forces.
The exchange also allowed American personnel to learn from Moroccan experience. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kenton Hemsley, a Utah Army National Guard drone specialist who previously worked with Moroccan troops during African Lion exercises, said their approaches to drone training provided valuable lessons as Utah develops its own unmanned aircraft program.
U.S. instructors emphasized that the next step is to bring those skills into larger exercises, combining trained operators, equipment and mission planning. The Agadir course builds on the Utah National Guard’s 23-year partnership with Morocco, extending military cooperation into a technology increasingly used in modern warfare.
