This Time with Egypt, KAI: "Best When Combined with Korean Technology"

Lee Bong-geun, Executive Director of the Export Innovation Center at Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), is seen conversing with Air Force Commander Mohamed Abbas Hilmi Hashem at the 'Pyramid Airshow 2022' event held in Cairo, Egypt, on the 3rd. (Photo by Ministry of National Defense Joint Press Corps)

[Cairo= Ministry of National Defense Joint Press Corps · Asia Economy Military Specialist Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] The domestic defense industry, gaining attention as 'K-Defense Industry,' is focusing on the potential to deepen cooperation with Egypt, which holds the greatest potential in Africa and the Middle East.

According to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) on the 5th, the civilian-government-military defense export team composed of KAI, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, and the Air Force conducted an export marketing schedule last month, departing from the UK, passing through Poland, and arriving in Egypt.

While the Air Force's special flight team Black Eagles captivated local attention in the skies at the UK RIAT and Farnborough Airshows and the Egypt Pyramid Airshow, intense discussions on the export of domestically produced weapons such as the light attack aircraft FA-50 took place on the ground. Among the three countries visited, Poland attracted the most attention by signing large contracts worth about 20 trillion won, including 48 FA-50s, 980 K2 tanks, and 648 K-9 self-propelled howitzers, while Egypt is evaluated to have significant potential for future projects.

Lee Bong-geun, Executive Director of KAI's Export Innovation Center, explained the significance of this visit, saying, "We have laid the foundation for partnerships with Egypt in various fields in the mid to long term." Egypt, considered one of the largest military powers across the African continent and the Middle East, plans to replace its training and combat aircraft, making it a country where exports of the FA-50 as well as the new domestic fighter KF-21 (Boramae) are possible.

The potential demand for various training aircraft in Egypt reaches about 100 units, making it the second-largest 'major market' after the United States. Korea and Egypt have been discussing the export of the FA-50 and local joint production plans even before the K-9 self-propelled howitzer export contract earlier this year.

Although the per capita income is around 4,000 dollars, which might suggest low industrial competitiveness, Egypt is also a country that produced a supersonic jet fighter prototype exceeding twice the speed of sound back in 1964.

Egypt possesses 1,360 M1A1 tanks, the second-largest number after the United States, and most of these are license-produced domestically, indicating rich experience in defense industry production. The export team judged that combining this experience and potential with Korea's technological capabilities would create significant synergy, enabling production at local factories supplied with Korean technology to meet the Egyptian military's demand and even promote exports to third countries.

Lee said, "Egypt is the country with the best defense industry capabilities in Africa and the Middle East," and predicted, "If joint production and maintenance contracts are realized, Cairo will become a major key hub encompassing the entire African and Middle Eastern markets."

The Korean export team will move to the Philippines next week to resume export marketing. The Black Eagles will also join to fly over the skies of Manila.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.