Morocco and Sabena Engineering launch aerospace maintenance center in Benslimane

On Friday, January 23, Morocco and Sabena Engineering unveiled plans for a new 9,000-square-meter aerospace maintenance center in Benslimane. This state-of-the-art facility will focus on servicing military aircraft and helicopters, specifically the Lockheed Martin C-130 and F-16 models, as announced by the Belgian Embassy in Rabat via a statement on social media.

????? Morocco and Sabena Engineering are collaborating to build a strategic defense industry.
? 9,000 m² maintenance center in Benslimane ?️
? Site dedicated to military planes & helicopters (Lockheed Martin C-130, F-16 expertise) ✈️
? 100 skilled jobs created ? pic.twitter.com/ib9OOCRAFV

— Belgium in Morocco (@BelgiumMorocco) January 23, 2026

The embassy expressed its enthusiasm for this collaboration, emphasizing that Morocco and Sabena Engineering are «joining their expertise for a strategic defense industry». The initiative is projected to generate 100 skilled jobs, according to the statement.

As a reminder, Maintenance Aero Maroc (MAM), a subsidiary of Sabena Engineering, began construction of this center last October at the Benslimane airport. Designed for the heavy maintenance of C-130 Hercules and F-16 aircraft, the project is a collaboration with MEDZ Maroc (part of the CDG group) and American defense leader Lockheed Martin. MAM and Sabena Engineering anticipate the center will be fully operational by 2026.