UKRAINE-EGYPT-ARMORED-CARRIERS-TOPAZ-UPGRADING

Kyiv, July 12 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine is planning to launch this summer a joint program with Egypt on the mass modernization of Topaz OT-62 armored personnel carriers (APCs) for the Egyptian army.

“A pilot batch of upgraded APCs supplied to the Egyptian side last year has already undergone successful trials in Egypt. After the customer signs the act of acceptance, and this is expected soon, the Malyshev Plant will start mass supplies of vehicle sets to Egypt for the modernization of military equipment – under the terms of the contract – on the territory of the customer,” a source in the defense sector familiar with the implementation of the contract told Interfax-Ukraine.

“The Ukrainian side expects that the successful implementation of a joint five-year program for the modernization of the Egyptian armored vehicles will be in the sphere of special attention by the new leadership of our Arab partners,” he said.

The vehicles are being modernized under a contract signed with the Egyptian Defense Ministry in January 2010 after an international tender. The volume of a five-year contract with the right of prolongation is estimated at 200 vehicles.

Under the contract, part of armored vehicles will be upgraded on the territory of the customer using components produced in Ukraine.

Malyshev Plant is a well-known Ukrainian manufacturer of armored vehicles. Among its major partners are Pakistan and China.

Under a resolution of the Ukrainian government, Malyshev Plant has been part of the Ukroboronprom State Concern since January 2011.

[UA EUROPE EEU EMRG DEF EG]

PA

18:31:13 EET-2