Signing a new agreement with China to produce unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Egypt is a big step towards establishing its own industry of drones. The agreement between the Arab Organization of Industrialization and NORINCO will produce unmanned aerial vehicles in Egypt. At the ceremony, officials unveiled a scale model of the Hamza-2 combat drone, which will be manufactured in Egypt and fitted with guided weapons.
Major General Mokhtar Abdel Latif, AOI Chairman, explained that the alliance will enable Egypt to localize defense technology and increase its domestic capacity to produce products through the latest manufacturing technology of the Aircraft Factory.
Hamza-2 is based on the ASN-209 of China, which is a medium-altitude UAV with real-time reconnaissance strike capabilities. The version made in Egypt will likely serve similar purposes but provide greater levels of surveillance and precision-strike capabilities. Such a drone would greatly enhance the functionality of African governments that deal with maritime crime and regional conflicts.
According to analysts, the action of Egypt is an indicator that several other countries will soon follow the pattern: as more nations start developing their own combat drones, rather than buying them in bulk, they will do so in international partnership cooperation. The growth is in line with the growth of the drone industry in North Africa. In November, it was reported that Israel intends to establish the first large-scale suicide drone factory in Benslimane, Morocco, and manufacture SpyX loitering munitions, which can make targeted attacks on high-value military targets.
