8th Marrakech Airshow Gets Underway

Marrakech – The 8th edition of the Marrakech Airshow kicked off on Wednesday at the Royal Armed Forces air base in Marrakech, with nearly 200 exhibitors representing 27 countries in the fields of aeronautics, defense, and space.

Held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Marrakech Airshow 2026, which runs through October 10, is organized by the Association of Space, Aeronautics, and Defense Exhibitions (ASSAD), in partnership with Morocco’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, the National Defense Administration, the Royal Armed Forces, and the Royal Gendarmerie, as well as with the support of the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development (AMDIE), Airports of Morocco (formerly ONDA), Royal Air Maroc (RAM), and the Deposit and Management Fund (CDG).

The Marrakech Airshow, which is reaching a new strategic milestone this year, is attended by several high-level official foreign delegations, comprising ministers, chiefs of staff, and senior civilian and military officials.

This year’s event is also marked by strong participation from the United Arab Emirates, a strategic partner of the Airshow, through a large official delegation and a significant presence of Emirati players in the aerospace and defense sectors.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, President of the Association of Space, Aeronautics, and Defense Exhibitions (ASSAD) Taoufiq Moucharraf, emphasized that “thanks to the visionary leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco has succeeded in building a competitive, integrated, and resolutely forward-looking aerospace industry.”

“This 8th edition of the Marrakech Airshow highlights the progress made by the Kingdom and its international influence. Given its scale and the caliber of the participants it brings together, this event serves both as a showcase for the technological innovations shaping the sector’s future and as a catalyst for Morocco’s ambitions to elevate its aerospace industry and develop its defense industrial and technological base,” he added.

Global leaders such as Lockheed Martin, L3Harris Technologies, Airbus, Boeing, Safran, Thales, Embraer, RTX Corporation, IAI, Elbit Systems, Tata Advanced Systems, and Harmattan AI are exhibiting at this show alongside Morocco’s leading companies.

The 2026 edition will feature a major flight program and static display, showcasing a selection of state-of-the-art aircraft and platforms.

Flight demonstrations, aerial displays, and aircraft exhibits will allow visitors and industry professionals to discover the technological advancements, performance capabilities, and expertise driving the evolution of the aerospace industry today and tomorrow.

Industrial sovereignty, resilience and supply chain security, digitalization, complex systems, and skills development will be at the heart of the discussions.

The 2026 Marrakech Airshow thus serves as a premier platform for dialogue and networking among manufacturers, clients, decision-makers, and international partners, fostering the emergence of new business opportunities, industrial partnerships, and technological collaborations.

The opening ceremony of this year’s event, was attended notably by Deputy Minister to the Head of Government in charge of National Defense Administration Abdeltif Loudyi; Minister of Industry and Commerce Ryad Mezzour; Minister of Transportation and Logistics Abdessamad Kayouh; Major General Issa Saif Bin Ablan Al Mazrouei, Chief of Staff of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces; U.S. Ambassador to Morocco Duke Buchan III, as well as Wali of the Marrakech-Safi region and Governor of the Marrakech Prefecture Khatib El Hebil, in addition to other civilian and military dignitaries.