Morocco marked a major milestone in its aerospace ambitions on Wednesday with the groundbreaking ceremony for Maintenance Aéro Maroc’s (MAM) new state-of-the-art hangar at the Benslimane aeronautical platform, a project seen as a leap forward in the country’s drive for aerospace sovereignty and regional excellence in military aircraft maintenance.
The new facility, developed by MAM — a subsidiary of Belgium’s Sabena Engineering — in partnership with Maintenance Aeronautic Assets (MAA), will specialize in heavy maintenance of C-130 Hercules and F-16 fighter aircraft. The project positions Morocco as a regional hub for Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services, enhancing its strategic autonomy and industrial capabilities in the defense aerospace sector.
The initiative, supported by Sabena Engineering (Orizio Group), MEDZ (CDG Group), and U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin, reflects a tripartite collaboration between Moroccan, Belgian, and American partners. The ceremony was attended by senior Moroccan officials, representatives from the National Defense Administration, the Royal Air Forces, and executives from Lockheed Martin and Sabena Engineering.
The event highlighted a shared vision to establish a regional center of excellence for aircraft maintenance and technical training, reinforcing Morocco’s role as a trusted aerospace partner in Africa and the Mediterranean.
Covering more than 8,000 square meters, the hangar is designed to meet the highest international standards and will enable MAM to carry out heavy maintenance (PDM) and modernization work on both C-130 and F-16 platforms. This dual capability enhances operational flexibility and consolidates Morocco’s technological independence in a highly strategic domain.
According to the developers, the project forms part of a long-term plan to expand into helicopter maintenance and other aircraft platforms, while advancing sustainability and knowledge transfer.
The investment aims to foster local expertise, create high-skilled jobs, and strengthen Morocco’s industrial sovereignty — three pillars of the country’s aerospace strategy.
“This project represents a strategic interest for Sabena Engineering,” said Stéphane Burton, CEO of Sabena Engineering. “It will become a center capable of serving other countries in the Mediterranean. This construction is more than an infrastructure: it embodies a collective ambition and mutual trust among partners committed to the future of aircraft maintenance.”
The new facility is expected to become operational in the second half of 2026, marking what stakeholders described as a “new era” for Morocco’s military MRO sector.
Ray Piselli, Vice President of International Business at Lockheed Martin, noted that the partnership “goes beyond building capability.” He added: “It is creating high-skilled jobs and driving industrial growth in Morocco, strengthening our partnership with Orizio Group (Sabena Engineering), and supporting American manufacturing. This demonstrates that true partnership delivers enduring security and shared prosperity for all our nations.”
The Benslimane hangar is set to consolidate Morocco’s position as a key player in regional defense maintenance, underscoring its growing integration into global aerospace supply chains and its rising status as a strategic ally for both Europe and the United States.
