The US State Department has approved the potential sale of light tactical vehicle chassis to Egypt for an estimated cost of $200 million.
According to an announcement by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Cairo requested an undisclosed number of vehicle chassis on top of its previous request for $41.9 million.
The original request included REV1-B rolling chassis typically used for 4×4 Humvee vehicles and upgraded 205-horsepower turbocharged engines.
Once finalized, the sale is expected to contribute to the modernization of Egypt’s light tactical vehicle fleet.
It will also help the African nation meet current and future threats while enhancing interoperability with the US and other allies.
AM General, the producer of the Humvee series, is the main contractor for the project. The Humvee vehicle uses the REV1-B Rolling Chassis, which Egypt also employs for its indigenous Temsah-3 4×4 light armoured vehicle.
The company signed a partnership agreement with the Egyptian Ministry of Military Production in June 2021 to support the growth of Egypt’s domestic military automobile industry.
The Egyptian military has been using the Humvee (HMMWV – High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle) since 2003/4, when it purchased 100 M114 up-armoured HMMWVs.
The collaboration with AM General is part of a larger effort to enhance Egypt’s local military production capabilities. Egypt is also assembling warships and M1 Abrams main battle tanks locally, and creating its own line of Temsah (Crocodile) armoured personnel carriers.
The Temsah is Egypt’s premier locally made armoured vehicle, with various models such as a 6×6 personnel carrier, a 4×4 troop transport, and others. It features a V-hull for landmine protection and a hull that resists 7.62 mm armour piercing rounds and shell splinters. The Kader Factory for Developed Industries constructed the Temsah, which debuted in 2016. Several variants have appeared since then.
Temsah which means “Crocodile” in arabic) has expanded to six vehicles comprising of the Temsah 1, Temsah 2 (Temsah Bus), Temsah 3 Protected Patrol Vehicle, Light Temsah, Temsah 4, and Temsah 5.
The latest variant being the Temsah 5 4×4 armoured vehicle was unveiled on Thursday 4 February 2021 by the Kader Factory for Developed Industries, part of the Egyptian Ministry of Defence Industrial Engineering Complex.
The International Marathon United Technology Group (IMUT) ST-100 and ST-500 are other examples of armoured vehicles made locally in Egypt. These 4×4 vehicles were developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Military Production.