# Military industry of Egypt

The military industry of Egypt produces defense and security equipment for the Egyptian Armed Forces and exports various products abroad. Egypt has co-production agreements with several countries, including the United States, France, Germany, China and South Korea.
Egypt has long invested in the development of its domestic defense industry, producing a wide range of military equipment, including small arms, ammunitions, armored vehicles, drones, naval vessels, electronic equipment, tanks, and missiles. Over the decades, Egypt has fostered partnerships with global defense manufacturers, working with countries such as the United States, Russia, China, South Africa, France, the United Kingdom, and Finland to develop and produce advanced weaponry, including tank guns, howitzers, anti-aircraft mortar shells, communications equipment, and optics.

## History

Egypt's military industry dates back to the early 19th century under Muhammad Ali, who established an industrial base primarily to support the development of a modern military. His efforts were concentrated on weapons production, with factories in Cairo manufacturing muskets and cannons. Additionally, he constructed a shipyard in Alexandria to build a domestic navy. By the late 1830s, Egypt's military industries had produced nine 100-gun warships and were manufacturing 1,600 muskets per month.
Near the end of World War II, Egypt came into possession of a large quantity and variety of armaments left behind by Nazi Germany, including large stockpiles of 8mm Mauser ammunition that had been manufactured by several Axis countries. The Egyptian government decided to manufacture a semi-automatic battle rifle and purchased the tooling and plans for the Swedish Automatgevär m/42 (Ag m/42) rifle, and re-engineered it to use the 8mm Mauser cartridges and a gas adjustment valve. The resulting Hakim Rifle was manufactured and fielded from the early 1950s until c. 1961. Egypt also briefly manufactured another re-engineered Ag ms/42, chambered for the 7.62×39mm Soviet cartridge, called the Rasheed Carbine. These guns were replaced in the 1960s by the Maadi AK-47, a licensed copy of the AK-47.
Egypt’s modern defense industry took shape under President Gamal Abdel Nasser in the 1950s and 1960s, as he spearheaded its most formative developments amid geopolitical conflict with Israel and the broader push for economic nationalism and import-substituting industrialization. Nasser’s government sought to create a self-sufficient military-industrial base, reducing reliance on foreign arms suppliers while strengthening Egypt’s economic and strategic position.
During the late 1950s, Egypt built the Jabal Hamzah ballistic missile test and launch facility to test-fire and to experiment with the domestically built Al Zafir and Al Kaher SRBMs.
The country's defense industry evolved significantly over the years. In the 1980s, Egypt primarily produced small and medium weapons, often under foreign licenses. By the 1990s, it had entered the heavy weapons sector, manufacturing tanks and howitzers. After 2000, Egypt advanced into weapons system design, producing indigenous military hardware and improving existing systems through domestic innovation. In 2008, Egypt’s military production was valued at 3.8 billion Egyptian pounds ($717 million), marking a 20% increase over the previous year. The country has maintained long-standing collaborations with Spain and Germany, dating back to the mid-20th century, and continues to procure arms and equipment from the United States and Russia.
In 2020, Egypt launched a three-year weapons manufacturing strategy aimed at achieving self-sufficiency and expanding arms exports. The initiative, backed by a $479 million investment, focused on modernizing and adding 84 production lines. This effort sought to reduce dependence on foreign arms suppliers while enhancing domestic production capabilities, ultimately positioning Egypt as a regional defense exporter.

### The Egyptian Interceptor Project

The Helwan HA-300 (Arabic: حلوان ٣٠٠) was an advanced supersonic jet fighter project developed by Egypt in the 1960s as part of its efforts to establish an independent military aviation industry. Designed by Willy Messerschmitt, the HA-300 was intended to be a lightweight, high-performance interceptor capable of reaching speeds over Mach 2. The aircraft featured a delta-wing configuration and was powered by the Brandner E-300 turbojet engine, an indigenous Egyptian development. Three prototypes were built, with flight tests beginning in 1964, but the program faced technical challenges and increasing costs. Egypt ultimately abandoned the project in 1969, opting instead to acquire Soviet aircraft like the MiG-21. Despite its cancellation, the HA-300 remains a significant milestone in Egypt’s aviation history as the country’s only attempt at producing a domestically designed jet fighter.

### Supplying the CIA

Egypt was involved in supplying the Central Intelligence Agency with various weapons for Operation Cyclone during the Soviet–Afghan War. CIA Officer Gust Avrakotos set up a deal with Egyptian Defense Minister Abd al-Halim Abu Ghazala for Egypt to manufacture .303 ammunition for the hundreds of thousands of Lee–Enfield rifles that it supplied to the Afghan mujahideen through Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence. Congressman Charlie Wilson helped lower political barriers for the deals to go through.

## Overview

Egypt's defense sector serves the dual purpose of ensuring self-sufficiency and securing military readiness, with a focus on sustaining an armed force of up to 1.2 million personnel in times of mobilization.
The Ministry of Military Production oversees a vast 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. Additionally, the Armoured Production and Repair Factory assembles and maintains armored vehicles such as the M1A1 Abrams and K9A1EGY, alongside developing indigenous platforms like the RAAD 200 and Sinai 200. In the electronics sector, the Thales & Benha Electronics S.A.E. joint venture, formed between France’s Thales Group and Benha Electronics, specializes in co-producing advanced communication and signaling systems, while also engaging in research, development, and training.
Meanwhile, the Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI), a major state-owned defense conglomerate, oversees multiple enterprises across 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. AOI also operates joint ventures like Arab British Dynamics Co., which specializes in guided weaponry, and Arab American Vehicles Co., which assembles military and civilian vehicles. AOI has a longstanding history in aircraft production, with facilities in Helwan producing licensed light combat and trainer aircraft, such as the Alpha Jet and K-8E, which it now seeks to replace with the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle.
Naval defense production is spearheaded by the Alexandria Shipyard, which specializes in constructing frigates, corvettes, and patrol boats. The shipyard has partnered with France’s Naval Group to produce Gowind 2500 corvettes and Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems to locally manufacture MEKO A200 frigates for the Egyptian Navy.
Egypt’s defense industry has also seen the emergence of private sector players. Robotics Engineering Systems focuses on the development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including combat drones, surveillance systems, and smart munitions such as high-precision glide bombs and guided missiles with multi-mode guidance. Amstone, another Egyptian private defense company, specializes in fifth-generation defense technologies, particularly in naval and aerial unmanned systems.

## Egypt Defence Expo

The Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX) was launched in 2018 as Egypt’s first international defense exhibition, aimed at promoting the country’s military industry and strengthening its position as a regional hub for defense technology and trade. Held biennially in Cairo, the event has grown significantly, attracting global defense manufacturers alongside Egyptian state-owned and private-sector defense firms. EDEX provides a platform for showcasing domestically produced military equipment, fostering international partnerships, and facilitating defense cooperation. The exhibition highlights Egypt’s expanding capabilities in arms production, aerospace, naval systems, and electronic warfare, reinforcing its role in the global defense market.

## Actors

* Arab International Optronics
* Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI)
** AOI Aircraft Factory
** AOI Electronics Factory
** AOI Engine Factory
** Arab American Vehicle Company
** Arab British Dynamics Company
** Arab British Engine Company
** Arab British Helicopter Company
** Kader for Developed Industries
** Sakr for Developed Industries
* Amstone
* Eagles International for Defense Systems
* Egyptian Armaments Authority
* Egyptian National Company for Industrial Development (ENCID)
* Engineering Industrial Complex
* International Marathon United Technology (IMUT)
* Robotics Engineering Systems
* National Authority for Military Production
** Abu Qir Engineering Industries
** Abu Zaabal Engineering Industries
** Abu Zaabal Specialized Chemicals
** Abu Zaabal Specialized Industries
** Al-Maasara Engineering Industries
** Armoured Production and Repair Factory
** Benha Electronics
*** Thales & Benha Electronics
** Heliopolis Chemical Industries
** Helwan Castings
** Helwan Diesel Engines
** Helwan Engineering Industries
** Helwan Machinery and Equipment
** Helwan Metal Hardware
** Helwan Non-Ferrous Industries
** Military Production Co. for Engineering Projects & Consultation
** Qaha Chemical Industries
** Shubra Engineering Industries
* National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS)