Humvee maker strikes military vehicle deal with Egypt

DUBAI: Humvee manufacturer AM General has struck an initial agreement to help develop the production of military vehicles in Egypt.
The deal with the Egyptian Ministry of Military Production is expected to become a long term partnership to develop and build tactical vehicles in-country, the US-based company said in a statement on Wednesday.
The company will study the feasibility of developing an in-country assembly and manufacturing capability to allow Egypt to replace or supplement its existing Humvee fleet.
“Today’s signing ceremony further solidifies our long-standing relationship with the government of Egypt,” said AM General President CEO Andy Hove. “We look forward to applying our manufacturing and design expertise to help grow the Egyptian automotive industry.”
The agreement is part of a broader push to develop more domestic military manufacturing in Egypt which is already a major defense sector importer. Arab states are ramping up spending on local defense sector investments as part of their economic diversification agendas which aim to create more local jobs while at the same time substituting value-added imports with locally manufactured alternatives.