The Egyptian army is moving forward with one of its largest tank modernisation programmes in decades in a move that military experts agree reflects a clear trend towards enhancing the combat capabilities of the Armed Forces and developing its armoured systems in line with the requirements of modern warfare.
The modernisation programme has attracted widespread interest in international military and media circles, especially with growing concerns in Israel about the impact of this step on the military balance in the region and what it may represent in terms of a qualitative addition to the capabilities of the Egyptian army.
The concerns come in the wake of Washington’s approval on 17 June of one of the largest tank modernisation programmes in the history of US defence cooperation with one of its regional partners. The programme aims to upgrade 555 M1A1 Abrams tanks, out of the approximately 1,130 currently operated by the Egyptian Armed Forces.
According to the Western media, the programme is estimated to be worth approximately $4.69 billion.
The announcement of the Abrams deal came on the same day that President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and US President Donald Trump met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in the city of Evian in France.
Trump had warm words to say about Egypt and Al-Sisi. He stressed the US aspiration to continue strengthening Egyptian-American relations and moving them to broader horizons in various fields and spoke about his relationship with President Al-Sisi, stating that it is based on love and mutual respect.
Trump also appreciated the pivotal role played by Egypt, and President Al-Sisi personally, in supporting the negotiation process and halting the escalation in the region, stressing his desire to continue the close coordination between the two countries in order to support regional peace and stability.
For his part, President Al-Sisi was keen to congratulate Trump on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the independence of the US. He also congratulated him on the success of his efforts in reaching an agreement with Iran, stressing the importance of the agreement in paving the way for ending the war and escalation in the Middle East region.
This reflects the US president’s ability to end conflicts around the world, Al-Sisi said, noting Egypt’s readiness to exert every effort to cooperate with regional and international partners in order to support such aims and to reach sustainable solutions to various outstanding issues.
The Al-Sisi-Trump meeting also touched on regional issues. Al-Sisi expressed his hope that the region would soon see concerted efforts to resolve the various conflicts in the Middle East, foremost among them the Palestinian issue, noting that its resolution is fundamental to achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.
Al-Sisi emphasised Egypt’s keenness to continue coordinating with the US in order to push for the implementation of all the provisions of the Trump peace plan for the Gaza Strip, as well as to work on restoring calm and stability in the region.
The two presidents also discussed the water issue, where Al-Sisi stressed the importance of the River Nile as a national-security issue for Egypt, expressing his appreciation for Trump’s interest in this pivotal issue.
Trump affirmed his understanding of Egyptian concerns in this regard and stressed that he would give the issue the highest priority in order to resolve it fairly.
Although the meeting between Al-Sisi and Trump did not discuss military cooperation between Egypt and the US, it saw the two presidents stressing the importance of advancing the existing strategic partnership between them.
Egyptian national security expert Mohamed Abdel-Wahed said Washington’s approval of Egypt’s upgrading of 555 Abrams tanks was part of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
“The relationship between the two countries is mainly focused on political coordination and military cooperation,” Abdel-Wahed said.
He said the roots of the Egyptian-American cooperation on the Abrams programme extend back to the late 1980s when Cairo and Washington reached a joint production agreement that led to the assembly of tanks and their main components on Egyptian soil.
A production line was established through cooperation between the Arab Organisation for Industrialisation and the American company General Dynamics and Land Systems.
“The programme has developed over four decades to become a successful model of bilateral defence cooperation between Egypt and Washington,” Abdel-Wahed said, noting that “instead of importing a new fleet of this advanced type of American tanks, which would be highly costly, it was agreed that Egypt would develop them and benefit from their global reputation.”
“The development is being done by introducing modern technology to increase the tank’s combat capabilities.”
The Arab defence website stated that Egypt occupies an advanced position among the largest operators of Abrams tanks in the world, as its total fleet amounts to about 1,130 tanks and forms the backbone of the armoured forces of the Egyptian army.
Abdel-Wahed said that “Egypt manufactures 90 per cent of the components of this tank. Localising the military industries in Egypt is very important and is highly favoured by the Egyptian leadership.”
“The 555 Abrams tanks will be upgraded, with changes made to the engine, transmission, and sighting systems, especially for the commander and gunner. New sensors will also be installed, making them comparable to new-generation tanks, with the added advantage of high deterrence capabilities, extremely strong armour, and the ability to fight in desert environments thanks to the modifications made by Egypt in agreement with Washington,” he added.
Former deputy chief of the Egyptian General Intelligence Mohamed Rashad told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that “upgrading the Abrams tank has been a necessity, and the upgrade includes installing a higher calibre gun to increase the firing range to 105 mm, upgrading the targeting tools using lasers, and increasing the tank’s body armour against collisions and anti-tank weapons.”
“These upgrades give the tanks lethal combat capabilities that include digital mapping for situational awareness, advanced night vision and thermal systems, and missile-proof armour,” Rashad said.
Factory 200, a military factory in the Abu Zaabal area north of Cairo and the only one outside the US authorised to produce components for this model of tank, will manage the development and upgrading of the Abrams tanks.
The website of the Ministry of Military Production noted that the tanks are the main battle armour of the Egyptian army. “This model of tank weighs approximately 63 tons and is 9.8 metres long and 3.65 metres wide. It can travel at speeds of up to 66.9 km per hour on paved roads and up to 48.3 km per hour on unpaved roads,” it said.
The new military deal between Egypt and America sparked concerns in Israeli political and media circles. The Israeli website Natsiv Net said “the new capabilities of the Abrams M1A1 tanks will make the Egyptian Armoured Corps one of the most advanced and lethal armies in the region with high combat capabilities in all conditions, which directly worries Tel Aviv.”
Israeli reports over the past few days have spoken of significant Israeli concern over what they described as “the construction of massive logistical infrastructure and fuel depots in the Sinai Peninsula”, claiming that this would allow Egyptian forces to closely monitor the deployment of Egyptian forces despite the 1979 Peace Agreement.
Egypt has repeatedly denied this, asserting that what it is doing in Sinai is nothing more than deploying the army to protect the country’s borders and national security.
Rashad said that the Israeli concerns, whether regarding the modernisation of the Egyptian army or the upgrading of the Abrams tanks, are mainly due to “the fear of raising the efficiency of the Egyptian armoured forces such that they are a match for the Israeli armoured forces, whose capabilities Tel Aviv boasts about as a result of the continuous development of their weapons and combat equipment.”
Israel is the seventh country in the world in terms of the manufacture and export of weapons and combat equipment, Rashad said.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 25 June, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.
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