Agreement covers supply of DESERT STING 16 and THUNDER P-31 munitions for Moroccan unmanned combat aircraft
UAE-based defense firm EDGE has signed a contract with Morocco's Administration of National Defence to supply precision-guided weapons for the Royal Moroccan Air Force's unmanned combat aerial vehicles, including the DESERT STING 16 and THUNDER P-31 systems.
AI-generated summary
EDGE is a UAE-based defense company expanding its footprint in Africa through military contracts. The agreement was finalized during the Marrakech Air Show 2026.
UAE defence company EDGE has signed a contract with Morocco to supply two types of precision-guided weapons for the Royal Moroccan Air Force’s fleet of unmanned combat aircraft.
The agreement was signed with Morocco’s Administration of National Defence during the Marrakech Air Show 2026.
Under the contract, EDGE will supply its DESERT STING 16 (DS-16) guided-glide weapon and THUNDER P-31 precision-guided munition.
Both systems are developed and manufactured in the UAE and will be integrated into Morocco’s existing unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs).
The DESERT STING 16 weighs 23kg and has a range of up to 15 kilometres.
Meanwhile, the THUNDER P-31 is designed to convert the MK 81 general-purpose munition into a precision-guided weapon.
It has a range of up to 10 kilometres when launched from unmanned aircraft and up to 20 kilometres when released from high-speed, high-altitude platforms.
As part of the agreement, EDGE will also carry out the aircraft modifications and software integration needed to operate the weapons.
Saif Al Dahbashi, President of Missiles & Weapons at EDGE, said the agreement was designed to meet the operational requirements of the Royal Moroccan Air Force.
“This contract is built around delivering the performance that the Royal Moroccan Air Force’s missions demand,” he said.
He added that EDGE would provide long-term support and maintenance services as part of its partnership with Morocco.
The agreement is part of EDGE’s wider efforts to expand its presence in Africa, which the company considers an important market for future growth.
In Angola, EDGE is currently delivering a €1 billion naval modernisation programme that includes three BR71 MK II Combattante corvettes and six HT-100 NAVAL unmanned helicopters.
The company has also signed a Letter of Intent with Angola’s Ministry of Interior for a multi-year border security programme.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
EDGE will perform aircraft modifications and software integration for Moroccan UCAVs.
Very likely · Within months

The Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen launched a large-scale military operation targeting Houthi military capabilities, destroying 136 targets and providing round-the-clock air support to Yemeni government forces advancing under Operation Dawn of Yemen, which aims to recapture Sanaa and restore state institutions.

The Arab coalition destroyed three Houthi missile launchers in strikes on Thursday following attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport that killed three Saudi citizens.

The Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen intercepted and destroyed a Houthi-launched ballistic missile north of Riyadh, tracking its launch platform from Sanaa and vowing to destroy it, following an earlier interception near Khamis Mushait.

Turkey and Pakistan will rapidly deploy troops to Saudi Arabia as part of a new mutual defence alliance, following a meeting in Riyadh where the three countries agreed to implement collective defence commitments amid escalating Houthi attacks from Yemen.

The Pentagon confirmed the withdrawal of all U.S. B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in the UK following a suspicious incident involving masked men and vans that prompted evacuations of 85 homes. Investigators recovered petrol but no explosives from the vans, and five British men arrested were released on bail, drawing criticism from U.S. officials who speculated foreign involvement, which Iran denied.

Saudi Air Defense intercepted multiple ballistic missiles launched by Houthi forces toward the Asir and Najran regions on Friday. Shrapnel from an intercepted missile injured an Asian expatriate and damaged civilian property, including a school and vehicles.