Latest news with #KongsbergDefence&Aerospace
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
U.S. Ally Becomes Arms Sales Battleground Between China and America
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. U.S. military ties with long-time allies in the Middle East are being tested by China's growing defense diplomacy across the region. Just as Washington authorized the sale of a major arms package to Egypt in July, China also emerged as an alternative source of advanced military hardware to the North African nation that has been a major non-NATO ally to the United States since 1989. Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. State Department and the Egyptian army for comment. Why It Matters Egypt is becoming a visible setting for the intensifying U.S.–China rivalry, where Washington views Beijing as its principal global rival. Cairo, long dependent on roughly $1.3 billion in annual U.S. military aid, remains an important security partner to Washington despite political difference over Gaza and Egypt's increasing engagement with China. Gulf and Arab states now see partnerships with China not as a shift, but as their right to diversify critical industries beyond an exclusive reliance on the United States, happening alongside major business deals with President Donald Trump. A NASAMS surface-to-air missile launcher is seen during production at the assembly line of the Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace weapons factory in Kongsberg, Norway on January 30, 2023. A NASAMS surface-to-air missile launcher is seen during production at the assembly line of the Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace weapons factory in Kongsberg, Norway on January 30, 2023. PETTER BERNTSEN/AFP/Getty Images What To Know Egypt has been given the green light by the United States to purchase advanced weaponry that previously had been off the table to maintain Israel's military edge in the region, in a sign that Washington may be shifting its stance toward its Middle East allies. The U.S. State Department recently approved the sale of NASAMS air defense systems to Egypt in a package worth $4.67 billion. The deal includes 200 AMRAAM and 600 Sidewinder missiles as well as radars, launchers, command units and training. "The potential delivery of NASAMS already represents a major breakthrough in the provision of advanced U.S.-made weapons to Egypt, with the offer of one of the most capable air defense systems in its class," U.S. defense watcher Thomas Newdick wrote in July in the specialist military outlet The War Zone. Since taking power in a 2014 after a military coup, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt has pursued arms diversification amid rising tension with the United States. He has pushed back against U.S. restrictions on upgrading Egyptian air force F-16 jets and voiced public frustration over Washington's stance on Israel's war in Gaza and on Trump's "displacement" plan. Cairo has shown a public interest in Chinese fighter jets like the J-10 and the newer J-35 in what could become realistic alternatives to U.S. air platforms. Egypt and China deepened military ties in 2025 with joint drills and expanded defense cooperation. Last month, amid reports that America's main regional adversary Iran could also seek Chinese jet fighters, Beijing said it was ready to "share the achievements of its equipment development with friendly countries." What People Are Saying Sayed Ghoneim, a retired Egyptian army officer, told Newsweek: "Let's keep in mind American companies' insistence on not losing a buyer—especially when China stands arms wide open, trying to project that it enjoys closer ties with Egypt than the U.S. does." Hesham Elhalaby, a retired major general of the Egyptian air force, told Al-Mashhad in July: "The military message here is that Egypt still holds significant importance for the United States, and military cooperation continues despite some political differences. There is consensus in the U.S. administration on maintaining cooperation and modernizing Egypt's defense systems." The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency in a July notice about the NASAMS deal: "The proposed sale will improve Egypt's capability to meet current and future threats by improving its ability to detect various air threats. […] The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region." What Happens Next Egypt and China may soon unveil more details about planned defense cooperation agreements, following the recent two-day official visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang to Cairo in July.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Manufacturer of NASAMS air defence system plans to set up plant in Ukraine
The Norwegian defence company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, which produces ammunition for NASAMS air defence systems, plans to set up a joint production facility in Ukraine. Source: Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, in an interview with Euractiv Quote from Eirik Lie: "We are now establishing a company in Ukraine. We are in close discussion with industry in Ukraine to establish a joint venture. The first priority is to increase missile production for our air defence system in Ukraine, based on Ukrainian technology. We are talking about the mass production of missiles, meaning hundreds. We are looking at establishing the joint ventures within months." Details: The company's president said that Kongsberg wants to use the power of Ukrainian industry in the long term after the war. Quote from Eirik Lie: "Ukraine can be part of the supply chain providing missiles for air defence systems." Background: Shares of the German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall have risen ten times since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
