Former military officers have confirmed that Egypt is working with the United States to boost its armored forces by introducing technological upgrades and modern combat specifications to a large number of M1A1 Abrams tanks, raising alarm in Israel.
According to Israel’s Nziv.net platform, there are major Israeli concerns about a shift in the regional balance of power after Washington recently approved a huge deal to upgrade 555 Abrams tanks out of 1,130 American tanks in the Egyptian army.
The military factory in the Abu Zaabal area north of Cairo, the only facility authorized outside the United States to produce components of this model, will oversee the development project at a cost of around $4.69 billion.
The M1A1 Abrams tank is the Egyptian army’s main battle tank, with a top speed of 20 miles, according to data from the Egyptian Ministry of Military Production.
National security expert Mohamed Abdel Wahed told Asharq Al-Awsat that this was not the first time Egypt develops these tanks. It did so in the 1980s through a joint military production agreement with the United States.
The latest agreement to develop the tanks was signed in 2024. It called for refurbishing the existing vehicles instead of replacing them with new ones that would have come at a higher cost.
“Egypt is developing this tank and capitalizing on its global reputation. The development involves incorporating modern technology to boost its capabilities,” Abdel Wahed explained.
Former Egyptian intelligence official Gen. Mohammed Rashad told Asharq Al-Awsat: “The upgrades include installing a higher-caliber gun to increase the firing range to 105 mm, upgrading the aiming and targeting systems to use lasers, reinforcing the tank’s armor against close-quarters combat and anti-tank weapons, installing a recoil suppressor on the tank’s gun to maintain stability and aiming accuracy, and fitting the tank with a high-powered engine to boost speed and maneuverability.”
“These capabilities make the Egyptian Armored Corps one of the most advanced and lethal armies in the region, with high combat capabilities in all circumstances, which is a direct cause for concern in Tel Aviv,” he explained.
Abdul Wahed added: “Egypt is manufacturing 90 percent of the components for this tank. Localizing military technology and industries in Egypt is very important.”
Israeli media has over the past two years frequently reported about Tel Aviv’s concern over what it described as “the detection of the construction of massive logistical infrastructure and fuel depots in the Sinai Peninsula.”
They alleged that these measures would allow Egyptian forces to move rapidly and extensively eastward, forcing Israel to maintain close and continuous monitoring of the deployment and movement of Egyptian forces despite the peace treaty between them.
Egypt has repeatedly denied the allegations, saying its work in Sinai has development purposes and any deployment of the military aims to protect the border and national security.
Rashad said the Israeli concerns over the Egyptian military’s upgrades and tanks program stem from its “fear that the Egyptian armored forces will become capable of matching Israel’s.”
Tel Aviv constantly boasts about its capabilities that are a result of continuous upgrades to weapons and combat equipment, he added, noting that its military ranks seventh globally in the manufacture and export of weapons and combat equipment.
