China and Egypt have reached an agreement for the manufacture of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Egypt via a memorandum of understanding, which was inked on Monday, 1st of December, 2025.
The signing was spearheaded by Egypt’s Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) and the China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO), in a ceremony which featured the unveiling of a scale model of the “Hamza-2” combat drone, outfitted with guided munitions.
AOI Chairman Major General Engineer Mokhtar Abdel Latif lauded the partnership and mentioned how valuable it would be going forward.
“We value the partnership with the Chinese company,” said Abdel Latif.
“The cooperation includes localizing technology and increasing the share of local manufacturing for defense industry systems, benefiting from the advanced production capabilities of the Aircraft Factory,” the general added.
The Hamza-2 combat drone, which is set to be produced in Egypt, is reportedly modeled after China’s ASN-209 platform.
The Chinese drone is a medium-altitude UAV with a twin-boom configuration and real-time reconnaissance and striking capabilities, as reported by DefenceBlog.
As a result, the Hamza-2 is most likely also a medium-altitude UAV with striking capabilities.
Its likely design would be tailored for real-time reconnaissance and strike operations.
For African governments and coastal states worried about marine security or regional wars, a drone like the Hamza-2, which combines reconnaissance and striking capabilities, may be a valuable force multiplier.
The locally produced drone might also potentially herald a shift in drone proliferation dynamics, particularly as more countries seek to develop combat-capable UAVs domestically through international collaboration (rather than one-time purchases).
Egypt’s growing drone capacity is hardly the only development in the North African region.
The facility was set to be located in Benslimane, Morocco, on the outskirts of Casablanca, and will assemble SpyX loitering munitions, drones capable of carrying out precision strikes against armored vehicles, military bases, and other high-value targets.
