Burkina Faso to get FAHD armoured vehicles from Egypt

The west African country and Ukraine are believed to be possible recipients of the FAHD vehicles recently purchased from the Egyptian manufacturer by France in a move that demonstrates France’s commitment to supporting its partners in the Sahel region and its determination to counter violent extremism.

The improved mobility and protection offered by the FAHD armoured personnel carriers will add to the effectiveness of Burkina Faso’s security forces in combating terrorism, enhance the country’s ability to respond to security challenges and protect its citizens.

The acquisition underscores the importance of regional cooperation in tackling the complex security situation in the Sahel. France’s partnership with Egypt highlights the willingness of nations to collaborate and share resources to address common security threats. This cooperation sets a positive precedent for future collaborations between countries in the region.

According to the Chairman of Egypt’s AOI Kader Factory, the company is setting up a production line for composite ceramic add-on armour. The 2013/14 EU banning of the of exportation of armour steel and chassis of FAHD APCs by its member states including Germany. FAHD has the capacity to produce between 240 to 300 vehicles annually.

The factory is now turning to domestic supply chains, through dependence on locally manufactured armour steel and bulletproof glass, as well as local suppliers to provide alternative chassis for the production of armoured vehicles.

Egypt’s defence industry has a long history over the past six decades which makes it the oldest and largest among the Arab states. It grew largely in the 1950s—60s and reached its highest point in the 1980s after extensive collaboration with the West especially the US. The turning point for Egypt’s defence industry was in 2013 when a crisis with the United States resulted in funds being withheld forcing Egypt to make serious attempts to diversify its sources of procurement and increase recent co-production initiatives.

Yahya al-Kadwani, a member of the Defence and National Security Commission in the Egyptian parliament, said at the time, “The African market is ready to benefit from Egyptian weapons, as Cairo is interested in being present in Africa politically and through military cooperation. African states need Egyptian weapons because of their good quality and low price and because they suit the nature of African people and Africa’s geography.”

On 19 December 2019, the Egyptian army released a video of several weapons manufactured in the factories affiliated with the Ministry of Defence and Military Production, such as the Temsah family of armoured vehicles, Fahd-300 APCs, ST-100/ST-500 armoured personnel carriers, and the modified Egyptian 13 mm gun M-46.