By Sarah El-Sheikh
Egypt and the United States resume co-production of M1A1 Abrams Tanks in the Egyptian tanks factory outside Cairo on Sunday.
Resuming co-production manufacturing of M1A1 Abrams tanks is the most recent step taken by the U.S. government in partnership with Egypt, according to a US Embassy statement.
Manufacturing M1A1 in Egypt is part of the ongoing US security support for the Egyptian military to confront terrorism. The M1A1 Abrams is among the heaviest tanks in the world at 70 tons.
Egyptian Minister of Military Production Major General Mohamed Al-Assar, Senior U.S. Defense Official in Cairo Major General Charles Hooper, and other senior officials attended the ceremony.
As result of the manufacturing joint, several tank factories in Egypt were able to provide jobs for 2,500 Egyptians, relation will strengthen between both countries, and Egyptian Armed forces will enhance its capabilities to defend the country, the statement read.
The agreement between Egypt and US to resume the tank production was signed in October between Minister of State for Military Production Mohammed Al-Assar, US Ambassador in Cairo Robert Stephen Beecroft, , and VP of General Dynamics Donald Schenk, local news site Aswat Masriya reported.
For nearly three decades, Egypt and the United states have been working hard on growing their ties in the heavy industry sectors.
US security’s support Egypt ceased when the latter’s military ousted former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi from power but it resumed again in May when Egypt received its first batch of eight Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 52 fighter aircraft.
