Morocco and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding on July 13, 2026, in Stuttgart, Germany, to establish the African Multidomain Training and Experimentation Center (AMTEC), marking a significant expansion of bilateral military cooperation.
Located in Tan-Tan, southern Morocco, the center will be built around three core components: a Multidomain Training Area (MDTA), a Multidomain Training Drone Academy (MTDA) and an Innovation and Experimentation Center. The project is designed to accelerate military capability development by integrating emerging technologies and enhancing interoperability among African and Western partners, AFRICOM said in a statement.
Lt. Gen. Mohammed Berrid, inspector general of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), said Morocco already possesses the infrastructure and expertise needed to move the initiative forward quickly.
“Morocco’s readiness, supported by existing infrastructure and qualified human resources, enables a rapid transition from concept to operational reality,” he said, highlighting the Kingdom’s potential as a reliable industrial partner for the United States.
The Multidomain Training Area will provide an advanced environment where forces can prepare for operations across complex operational domains, including the full electromagnetic spectrum.
Meanwhile, the Drone Academy aims to train African operators in small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), with a particular focus on counterterrorism operations in West Africa.
The third pillar, the Innovation and Experimentation Center, is intended to serve as a laboratory for operational solutions. It will rapidly test emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and advanced communications. Particular emphasis will be placed on scalable, low-cost solutions tailored to operational conditions across Africa.
Beyond its military dimension, the project also carries economic and technological ambitions. It envisions participation from industry and academic institutions to foster a defense innovation ecosystem around emerging technologies.
AMTEC could also become a testing ground for future wireless and detection technologies while supporting development initiatives in remote areas.
Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander of AFRICOM, described the initiative as “a tremendous opportunity for American and African defense industrial bases, as well as academic institutions, to innovate and develop solutions tailored to emerging challenges.”
The first major milestone for the project is expected to come during African Lion 2027, which will serve as a proof of concept for the future center. Held annually in Morocco, African Lion is already one of the continent’s largest multinational military exercises and provides a real-world environment for testing the integration of advanced technologies under operational conditions.
