A memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Royal Armed Forces of Morocco and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) will see the establishment of the Africa Multi-Domain Training and Experimentation Centre (AMTEC) in Morocco by 2030.
The agreement was signed at AFRICOM headquarters in Kelly Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany, on July 13.
AMTEC will be built in Tan-Tan, southwestern Morocco, on the edge of the Sahara Desert. The facility will include a Multi-Domain Training Area (MDTA), a Drone Academy, and an Innovation and Experimentation Centre.
According to AFRICOM, the MDTA will provide a dedicated training environment to prepare forces and systems to operate effectively across multiple domains, including contested environments and the full electromagnetic spectrum.
The Drone Academy will train operators, planners, and instructors from Morocco and other African partner nations to strengthen counter-terrorism capabilities. Participants will gain skills in integrating small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), airspace coordination, multi-domain operations, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike capabilities.
The Innovation and Experimentation Centre will develop, test, and evaluate emerging technologies, with a focus on affordable and scalable solutions for counter-terrorism and regional security. The centre will also collaborate with academic institutions to support research and innovation.
AFRICOM Commander General Dagvin Anderson said the project will improve the readiness and capabilities of both Morocco and the United States while providing opportunities for African and U.S. defence industries and academic institutions to develop innovative technologies.
General Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces and Commander of the Southern Zone, said Morocco’s existing facilities and skilled personnel would help turn the project into an operational reality while creating opportunities for joint innovation and exports.
AFRICOM also announced that the 2027 African Lion exercise will serve as a proof of concept for AMTEC. The annual exercise will be used to test artificial intelligence-enabled systems, autonomous platforms, and advanced communication technologies in operational environments.
