Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi witnessed the opening of the third international exhibition of defence and military industries “EDEX 2023”, at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre on Monday.
Attending the exhibition opening ceremony were Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli, Minister of Defence Mohamed Zaki and a number of Cabinet ministers and senior state officials.
In a speech to the ceremony, Defence Minister Zaki stressed that Egypt was and still is a meeting point for all peace-loving peoples in order to unite efforts and contain the pace of conflicts as well as to establish peace and formulate a common present in which we enjoy a safe living based upon cordiality and the realisation of common interests.
The event began with the screening of a documentary film entitled (Will and Challenge), an Armed Forces Morale Affairs Department production that portrays the Egyptian Navy’s years-long march of achievements.
The film explained that it was mainly through elevating performance rates that the Navy has reached its present diversity of capabilities and richness of specialisations, with a major role by the local and joint military manufacturing in enhancing the Navy’s armament capability.
The film pointed out that the Alexandria Shipyard Company, an affiliate of the Egyptian Navy’s Marine Industries and Services Apparatus, has managed to make industrial leaps that match world’s highest levels and standards in building commercial and military ships.
It also noted how the Alexandria Shipyard undertakes a pioneering role in joint military manufacturing as so is illustrated by the manufacturing of the Gowind naval frigates in conjunction with the French side as well as the production of the MEKO A200 stealth frigates through joint manufacturing with Germany.
The Alexandria Shipyard, the documentary added, has with 100 per cent Egyptian hands and minds completed the manufacturing and assembly of the first “MEKO A200” naval frigate. The 121-metre long and 16.34-metre wide frigate has an estimated sailing capacity of 7,200 nautical miles and its maximum speed reaches 27.5 knots, the Middle East News Agency (MENA) said in its coverage of the exhibition opening ceremony.
The frigate is equipped with such modern weapon systems that enable it to carry out all combat missions during peace and war and to counter all surface, air and underwater threats, the news agency said.
Following the film screening, President Sisi witnessed via videoconferencing the commissioning of the Egyptian frigate Al-Jabbar of the MEKO A200 type, which was manufactured at the Alexandria Shipyard with 100 per cent Egyptian hands.
In a speech to the commissioning ceremony, Navy Commander Ashraf Ibrahim Atwa said that in line with President Sisi’s directives for focusing on local manufacturing of naval units at Egyptian Navy shipyards, the building of 3 frigates of the Gowind type had been completed.
Navy Commander Ibrahim then presented to President Sisi the frigate Al-Jabbar’s shield, marking the vessel’s commissioning.
After that, President Sisi also toured the EDEX pavilions, accompanied by Prime Minister Madbouli, Defence Minister Zaki and a number of Cabinet ministers.
In a briefing to President Sisi at the Engineering Industries Complex’s pavilion, Major General Essam al-Sheikh said that the 12 armoured vehicles put on display there were all designed by the Complex with diverse technical and tactical specifications to meet the Armed Forces’ different requirements.
Major General al-Sheikh pointed out that all vehicles are equipped with self-propelled launch platforms mounted with machine guns of different calibers, in addition to night vision devices.
He pointed out that the “Temsah 3” vehicle was designed in co-operation with an American company on a Hummer 4×4 chassis, in addition to the design of the “Temsah 4” vehicle in co-operation with the German company Mercedes on a Mercedes 4×4 chassis, while the “Sherpa” vehicle, which is Egyptian-made, was manufactured and designed in co-operation with a French company on a Renault 4×4 chassis.
Major national and international defence manufacturers are taking part in EDEX 2023, displaying their latest products of equipment, technologies and defence systems.
