Marrakech Air Show 2024
Report and photos by Łukasz Lipka
December 23, 2024
After a six-year hiatus, one of Africa’s most prestigious aviation events, the Marrakech Air Show, made its return. The 7th edition of MAS was held from October 30 to November 2, 2024, at the Marrakech Royal Moroccan Air Force Base. Taking place under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco, the event was organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in collaboration with Morocco’s National Defense Administration, with support from the Royal Moroccan Air Force. The Marrakech Air Show serves as a vital global platform, bringing together industry leaders, government officials, innovators, and enthusiasts to promote technological innovation, drive business development, and enhance the aviation ecosystem in Morocco and beyond.
The Marrakech Air Base shares its facilities with the civilian side of Marrakech Menara Airport, which limited the duration of air displays to no more than two hours per day due to civilian air traffic. The first day of MAS 2024 featured the most flying activity, beginning with an inaugural flypast by two SA330 Puma helicopters of the Royal Moroccan Air Force, carrying the flags of Morocco and the MAS 2024 logo. The host nation also showcased a six-ship formation flypast of F-16Cs and a four-ship F-16C formation with a spectacular break maneuver. Additionally, the Royal Moroccan Air Force aerobatic team, Marche Verte (Green March), performed a precise and smooth display with seven Cap 232 aircraft.
Royal Moroccan Air Force SA330 Puma, carrying the Moroccan flag during the opening flypast on the first day of the Marrakech Air Show 2024.
The only international display act came from the Spanish Air and Space Force, with the Patrulla Aguila display team flying six CASA C-101s aircraft. Among the highlights of the day, a pair of RMAF Canadair CL-415 aircraft captivated the audience with a spectacular colored water drop. The final display of the day featured paratroopers carrying flags as they jumped out of a Royal Moroccan Air Force CASA CN-235.
The Spanish Air and Space Force Patrulla Aguila was one of the two display teams performing at the Marrakech Air Show 2024, alongside the local Marche Verte display team.
The second and third days of the show featured a more limited schedule of flying displays, composed of F-16 flypasts, paratroopers, and displays by Marche Verte. A new addition was the inclusion of the display of single Extra 330SX aircraft. On the final day, which was open to the public, visitors enjoyed most of the displays from the opening day, though the SA330 Puma flypast was omitted.
The static display prominently featured a range of aircraft from the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, including contributions from the Air Force, Navy, and Gendarmerie. Among the highlights were helicopters such as the Bell 412EPI, Airbus H135, and Airbus H225, alongside fixed-wing aircraft like the C-27J Spartan, Canadair CL-215, T-6C Texan II, and F-16C/D.
Although the Royal Moroccan Air Force operates several fighter jets, including Mirage F1s and Northrop F-5s, the F-16s were the only fighter aircraft featured in the static display.
In addition to the host nation’s lineup, the United States Air Force showcased a C-130J Super Hercules from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and a KC-135 Stratotanker from the Utah Air National Guard. Moreover, for the first two days of the show, two commercial airliners were also on display: a Royal Air Maroc Boeing 737 MAX 8 and a KLM Cityhopper Embraer E195-E2. On the second day of the show, Airbus presented their C295W, featuring a special tail scheme commemorating over 300 orders of the aircraft. The tail design included also flags representing all operators of the C295.
UAVs were also presented on the show, including Turkish made Baykar Bayraktar TB3 alongside other drones from various companies showcased in the exhibition hall. Numerous exhibitors from all over the world showcased their platforms and products in the exhibition halls, where also panels and discussions took place covering a variety of topics such as “Outlook for drone development”, “The future of aircraft interiors” or “Technological innovations in the defense industry”.
What distinguishes the Royal Moroccan Air Force aerobatic team, Marche Verte, from other display teams is their unique formation, where the front five and rear two aircraft are tethered together during the first part of the display, flying in this formation until the first break.
The Marrakech Air Show 2024 also featured the signing of significant agreements, reinforcing Morocco’s position as a competitive hub for the aeronautics industry. A key highlight was the establishment of the African Centre of Manufacturing Excellence (ACME) in collaboration with Boeing, aimed at advancing research in manufacturing technologies. Embraer finalized agreements for initiatives in commercial aviation, defense, and urban mobility, further enhancing Morocco’s industrial landscape. Additionally, several memorandums of understanding were signed between the Moroccan government and prominent companies, including Structural Aerospace Morocco, MASTERFLEX SE, TRELLEBORG, and Composite Industrie Maroc.
The 7th edition of the Marrakech Air Show featured a 12,500m² exhibition space with 194 exhibitors, including major defense and aerospace companies like Lockheed Martin, Airbus, Embraer, China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC), Emirates Defense Companies Council (EDCC) and Leonardo. Over four days, the event attracted nearly 30,000 visitors and 50 delegations from around the world, solidifying the Marrakech Air Show as a unique platform for global collaboration and exchange in the aeronautics industry.
Łukasz can be reached at: [email protected]