Egypt officially announced a significant step in its journey toward localizing defense industries after the Arab Organization for Industrialization revealed its success in locally manufacturing components of the French Rafale fighter jet.
This announcement was made during the launch of the Egypt Defense Expo (EDEX 2025), currently hosted by Egypt under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
The AOI confirmed this achievement by posting photographs documenting the manufactured parts on its official Facebook page, as part of its participation in the region’s most prominent defense event.
This development marks a milestone in the trajectory of Egypt’s military industry, signaling the country’s shift from being merely an importer of weapons to an active partner in the global supply chains for fighter aircraft.
This move further solidifies Egypt’s position as a leading regional power in the defense manufacturing sector.
EDEX 2025 is taking place at the Egypt International Exhibition Center, featuring wide participation from major global defense companies and high-level delegations, including defense ministers from friendly nations.
This reflects Egypt’s increasing role as a leading regional and international hub for hosting major defense events.
Israel cautiously observes developments
The Israeli newspaper Maariv previously reported that Egypt continues to deepen the build-up of its air power through new military deals with France and the US, at a time when Israel is cautiously monitoring the accelerating modernization and unprecedented expansion of the Egyptian Air Force’s capabilities.
The Hebrew newspaper added that the Egyptian Air Force recently received three Rafale F3R fighter jets, manufactured by the French company Dassault, as part of a deal that totals 30 fighters.
It noted that 18 aircraft from this deal have already arrived in Egypt, with the remaining 12 expected to be delivered in the coming period.
Maariv indicated that these fighters will be equipped with advanced weapon systems, including enhanced air-to-air missiles with a range of 120 to 145 kilometers.
The newspaper revealed that Israel had previously tried to prevent Paris from supplying Cairo with these missiles, but France has appeared less responsive to Israel’s requests in recent months..
