Egypt is set to upgrade its Chaparral air defense systems under a $17 million contract with the United States’ ProjectXYZ. The Alabama-based ProjectXYZ was awarded the contract to develop and deliver M48A3 Chaparral Fire Unit system modifications for Egypt.
Work will be performed in Cairo, Egypt, with an estimated completion date of 30 December 2020. It will include Chaparral equipment, tools, materials and test equipment along with personnel to perform system integration and checkout; technical support, training, program management, and documentation support.
Egypt is believed to have acquired 50 Chaparrals in the 1980s and is also believed to have received 550 surplus missiles between 2008 and 2014. Chaparral is a self-propelled surface-to-air missile system with a range of 55 to 9 000 meters and fitted to M113 tracked armored vehicles.
Egypt has been upgrading its air defenses of late as intelligence has shown that ISIS has been migrating to North Africa and such prompting the need for the country to upgrade its defense systems. Additionally, with instability in neighboring Libya which has created a haven for ISIS, it is a strategic move to improve the Egyptian military.
