The US military plans to test up to 15 technologies designed to counter drones and protect troops in Tan-Tan, in the Moroccan Sahara, in early 2027.
Table Of Content
The campaign aims to speed up the delivery of proven defence solutions to soldiers in the field within just 180 days.
According to defence news outlet, the initiative will include soldier-led demonstrations and field tests in Tan-Tan in February and March. The campaign will then move to operational evaluations during the African Lion military exercises in April and May.
Why the US Chose Tan-Tan
A statement from the US military said Tan-Tan offers unique field conditions that would be difficult to reproduce in the United States or Europe.
These conditions include open, uncongested airspace and an electromagnetic environment suited to testing. The area also features varied and harsh desert terrain, allowing troops to assess the technologies under realistic combat conditions.
Four Main Areas of Testing
The planned trials will focus on four main technology areas.
The first covers drone detection and early warning systems. These include technologies capable of tracking drones that do not transmit radio signals, as well as systems designed to detect both large and small unmanned aircraft.
The second focuses on interception and neutralisation. These solutions range from electronic jamming and disruption equipment to physical interception methods.
The third area involves passive protection measures. These aim to shield military facilities and personnel from imminent aerial attacks.
The fourth covers integrated defence systems. These combine sensors and counter-drone technologies to protect command-and-control centres and isolated combat units.
Part of Morocco-US Military Cooperation
The field trials form part of a project to develop the Tan-Tan centre into a multi-domain training and testing facility.
The centre was established within the framework of the strategic and advanced military partnership between Morocco and the United States. The project aims to turn the site into a regional platform for developing military tactics and modern defence technologies.
