Military industry of Egypt

The military industry of Egypt produces defense and security equipment for the Egyptian Armed Forces and exports some of it abroad. Egypt has co-production agreements with several countries, including the United States, France, Germany, Russia, China and South Korea.

Egypt has invested in its domestic defense industry for decades, producing small arms, ammunitions, armored vehicles, drones, naval vessels, electronic equipment, tanks, and missiles. It has also partnered with manufacturers in the United States, Russia, China, South Africa, France, the United Kingdom, and Finland to develop and produce tank guns, howitzers, anti-aircraft mortar shells, communications equipment, and optics.

Overview

Egypt's defense sector has two aims: self-sufficiency and military readiness. It is built to sustain an armed force of up to 1.2 million personnel in times of mobilization.

The Ministry of Military Production oversees a network of military factories and companies, including Abu Zaabal Specialized Industries, which produces ammunition and small arms, and Abu Zaabal Engineering Industries, which manufactures artillery systems and shells. The Armoured Production and Repair Factory assembles and maintains armored vehicles such as the M1A1 Abrams and K9A1EGY, and develops indigenous platforms like the RAAD 200 and Sinai 200. In electronics, the Thales & Benha Electronics S.A.E. joint venture between France’s Thales Group and Benha Electronics co-produces communication and signaling systems, and also does research, development, and training.The Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI), a state-owned defense conglomerate, oversees enterprises in aerospace, electronics, vehicles, and armaments. It owns Kader for Developed Industries, which designs and manufactures armored vehicles, and Sakr for Developed Industries, a producer of missiles and rockets.