Defense industry in Africa

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The arms industry in Africa is represented in various African states. South Africa , Sudan , Zimbabwe , Nigeria , Namibia , Uganda , Kenya , Tanzania and Egypt are among the African light weapons manufacturers . South Africa, Egypt and Sudan, which are the 3 largest producers of weapons and offer a very wide range of weapons, occupy a special position.

South Africa

The largest African manufacturing country for the armaments sector is South Africa, which continues a technically and scientifically advanced and multi-layered military industry from its apartheid period. There are currently around 700 arms companies in South Africa with 22,500 employees (at the end of the 1980s there were as many as 160,000). Most of them are small and medium-sized businesses. Denel , which has been officially privatized and converted into a stock corporation , is state-owned and, with almost 11,000 employees in South Africa, has a market share of over 50% in the defense sector.

The major armaments manufacturers are organized in the South African Aerospace Maritime & Defense Industries Association (AMD). These include:

  • Advanced Materials Technology (AMT) - importer of glass fiber , aramid , ...
  • Advanced Technologies and Engineering
  • Aerosud (Pty) Ltd - aircraft refurbishment and fitting, maintenance
  • African Defense Systems (Thales Group) - Electronic systems for weapon control and combat management
  • African Non Destructive Testing Center (Pty) Ltd
  • Ansys Integrated Systems (Pty) Ltd
  • Aerospace Monitoring and Systems (Pty) Ltd (AMS) - flight and engine monitoring devices, flight recorders
  • Armscor - acquires suppliers for the armed forces, test and development
  • Aztec Components (Pty) Ltd - batteries for aircraft, torpedoes, ...
  • BAE Land Systems
  • BAE Systems
  • Boeing International Corporation - Africa
  • Bohlabela Wheels (Pty) Ltd
  • CCII Systems (pty) Ltd (C²I² Systems) - radar consoles, information management systems
  • Contactserve (Pty) Ltd - electronic components
  • Cybersim (Pty) Ltd - consulting, logistics, material identification
  • Defencetek (a division of CSIR ) - development
  • Demco (Pty) Ltd - mine clearance systems
  • Denel
    • Denel Aviation - construction, conversion and maintenance of aircraft
    • Eloptro - laser systems, submarine periscopes , optical systems
    • Kentron - missiles, UAVs , optical systems
    • La Forge - metal components for ammunition and the automotive industry
    • LIW - artillery systems, turrets
    • Mechem - demining equipment and services
    • Naschem - cannon and mortar ammunition
    • Overberg Test Range - proving ground
    • Pretoria Metal Pressings (PMP) - ammunition, industrial explosives
    • Somchem - propellants, warheads, chemical products
    • Swartklip - explosives, ammunition, grenades
    • Vector - firearms , also for civil use
  • Emzansi Engineering Consultants - Development in all technical areas
  • Epsilon Engineering Services (Pty) Ltd - condition monitoring systems, bomb wings, cannon beds, medical equipment
  • GISCOE (Pty) Ltd - image evaluation, mission planning systems
  • Grintek Group Ltd
    • Grintel Telecom
    • Grintek Electronics
    • Grintel Communication Systems (joint venture 51% Grintek / 49% SAAB) - tactical communication systems
    • Grintek Ewation (Pty) Ltd - Joint Venture (55% Grintek / 45% EADS ) - Brand: MRCM
    • Grintek Defense & Technologies Division (cooperation with SAAB ) - ELINT , ESM, ECM, warning systems against missiles, radar, lasers
  • IFS Defense SA (Pty) Ltd
  • Internex
  • IS Dynamics
  • Land Mobility Technologies
  • Lechabile Quality Strategies
  • M-Tek - Electromechanical components, video systems, inclinometer
  • OMC (Pty) Ltd
  • Osprey Group
    • Osprey Aerospace (Pty) Ltd - Sales for various brands:
    • Parachute Industries of South Africa (Pty) Ltd - military and civilian personal and cargo parachutes
  • Paramount Logistics - procurement, integration, maintenance and financing of vehicles, aircraft and equipment
  • Parsec (Pty) Ltd - electronic components for military, industrial and telecommunications
  • Reunert Group
    • Reutech Group
      • Fuchs Electronics - bomb detonator
      • Reutech Radar Systems (RRS) - 2D and 3D radar systems, target tracking systems
      • Reunert Defense Logistics (RDI) - Logistic services and manufacturing of systems for the South African armed forces
      • RDI Communications - radio systems
  • Siemens Ltd - General marine electronics (GPS, condition monitoring)
  • Sinjana Engineering CC
  • TAU Aerospace (Pty) Ltd
  • Tellumat Defense - IFF, radar altimeter, GPS, (secured) radio data connections, microwave communication
  • Thales Aerospace Business Group (France)
    • Flightcraft Aviation Systems - South African Advanced Air Traffic Control System (SAAATS)
    • Thales Air Traffic Management - South African Advanced Air Traffic Control System (SAAATS)
  • Thales Advanced Engineering (Pty) Ltd - communication equipment, video transmission and image manipulation. Thales Advanced Engineering (TAE) is an independent South African company that used the name Thales long before it was renamed Thompson CSF (France) and does not belong to the Thales Group.

Other weapon manufacturers:

According to official information, the country exports armaments products to 61 different countries, mainly in the Middle East and Africa.

Other customers are:

In 2001 , a total of 32% of South African arms exports went to Africa, with 28% of exports in Africa going to Algeria, to which South Africa sells so-called UAV aircraft (unmanned reconnaissance aircraft) and military helicopters of the type Mil Mi24 Hind of Soviet origin. The remaining exports were divided as follows: 15% Middle East, 16% South Asia, 15% rest of Asia, 16% Europe, 5% America and 1% the United Nations (equipment for blue helmets).

Not all countries are supplied with the same system of the South African arms industry. The export laws for armaments distinguish between four categories, which are subject to different control conditions during export:

  • Category A: Sensitive Major Significant Equipment ( SMSE ) - weapons that cause high casualties and material damage
  • Category B: Sensitive Significant Equipment (SSE) - light weapons
  • Category C: Non-Sensitive Equipment (NSE) - systems that are used to support combat operations and that do not themselves have a deadly function (e.g. logistics and telecommunications systems)
  • Category D: Non-Lethal Equipment (NLE) - defense systems, such as systems for defusing mines

Some countries can only buy systems in the last two categories (i.e. non-lethal systems), such as Zimbabwe, which was only supplied with Category D systems when it was last shipped in 2000.

Egypt

The largest arms manufacturer in North Africa is Egypt . The north African country also exports arms to sub-Saharan Africa . In 1992, two years before the 1994 genocide, an Egyptian arms sales contract was signed with the Rwandan government. The contract, the payment of which was guaranteed by a French bank, included grenade launchers from 60 to 82 mm; 16,000 shells; Rocket launcher; Plastic explosives, anti-personnel mines and 3 million rounds for small arms.

Light weapons manufacturers in Egypt include:

  • Abu Kir Engineering Industries / Factory 10 (ammunition for small arms);
  • Al-Ma'asara Company for Engineering Industries (MF 45) (ammunition for small arms and combat field weapons);
  • Arab International Optronic (AIO) SAE;
  • Helwan Machine Tools Company / Factory 999 (grenade launcher);
  • Kaha Company for Chemical Industries (MF 270) (rifle grenades and hand grenades);
  • Maadi Company for Engineering Industries (pistols, rifles, machine guns, grenade launchers);
  • Sakr Factory for Developed Industries (anti-tank missiles);
  • Shoubra Company for Engineering Industries (MF 27) (ammunition).
  • AOI (armored vehicles e.g. Fahd 30);

Sudan

After an arms embargo was imposed by the UN on Sudan because of the Darfur conflict , Sudan began to expand its state armaments company, the Military Industry Corporation (MIC), with Chinese and Iranian help . MIC produces ammunition, uniforms, electronics such as laser target acquisition devices, night vision devices, thermal cameras, fire control systems, radar systems, GPS transmitters, communication systems, assault rifles , grenade launchers , artillery , rocket launchers, rockets, bombs, (presumably) anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers, armored personnel carriers, battle tanks, jeeps armed with rocket launchers or guns , (presumably) drones, airplanes and helicopters and thus in fact covers the entire needs of a modern army. In the field of handguns, Sudan is said to be the “fastest growing market” for handguns according to the Swiss NGO “Small Arms Survey”. The HK33 in particular is produced in large numbers under the name “TERAB”. Basically you deliver to numerous trouble spots. Militias in Libya , during the civil war in Syria , Yemen and other hot spots in the Middle East and Africa are to be supplied with weapons. Overall, it can be said that arms production in Sudan is increasing year after year and one is on the way to overtaking Egypt and South Africa in the production of arms and is already the third largest arms producer. Since Sudan is considered a supplier of various terrorist groups ( the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for genocide against President Umar al-Bashir ), the Sudanese arms factories are repeatedly the target of foreign military strikes.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe also inherited an early-stage arms industry from the previous regime (under which the country was still called Rhodesia ). On this basis, the Zimbabwe Defense Industries (ZDI) developed in 1984 . This company manufactures light weapons, ammunition and mines. The know-how for the production of explosives and grenades was supplied by France , while China was building an arms factory for infantry weapons in the country. ZDI's customers include Angola ( regular armed forces and rebels of UNITA ), Sudanese rebels and the Democratic Republic of the Congo . In the Congo, where Mugabe's troops are supporting Congolese President Kabila in exchange for deliveries from the ZDI, Harare has succeeded in obtaining concessions for the purchase of 37.5% of Gécamines , the state-owned Congolese mining company. Before the end of the war in Angola there were talks between Luanda and Harare about the establishment of a joint plant to manufacture weapons. By the end of the war, however, the Angolan government appears to have lost interest in the company.

The ZDI provides light weapons (a copy of the Israeli submachine gun type Uzi and the Czech submachine gun type CZ Sa 25 ) and above all ammunition for these weapons (9 mm and 20 mm) and for grenade launchers (60, 81 and 120 mm), Produce anti-personnel and anti-tank shells. Zimbabwe's official customers included South Africa , Malawi , Botswana , Tanzania and Zambia .

Uganda

Uganda also has a small arms industry in East Africa. There are at least three gun manufacturers in this country. The largest, the Nakasongola Arms Factory , has Chinese owners (and is a so-called joint venture , in which the government in Beijing as well as specialists and entrepreneurs from China , North Korea and South Africa are involved). The factory is located in Gulu County (where the Lord's Resistance Army rebels have been active for years ) and produces light weapons and mines that are then sold to the Burundian armed forces and the Angolan rebels of UNITA. Another arms factory called Saracen , which supplies the Ugandan army, is owned by the Strategic Resources Corporation , which hides the famous Executive Outcomes (EO), which officially ceased to exist in 1999 , but which is believed to be among other things Name acts. Another armaments company, Ottoman Engineering Ltd. specializes in the manufacture of light weapons. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the customers of the Ugandan arms industry.

Kenya

In Kenya , the Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation produces ammunition for pistols and assault rifles (20,000-60,000 parts per day). The factory was built with the approval of the Belgian FN and opened in 2000. According to the Kenyan government, weapons are only manufactured for their own armed forces , which is why no export licenses should be issued.

Nigeria

The only war weapons manufacturer in West Africa is Nigeria . The Defense Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) was established in 1964 with a related law called the Defense Industries Corporation of Nigeria Act . This defense industry played in the American Civil War to Biafra (1968-1970) an important role. The company, which was managed by a foreign management, filed for bankruptcy in 1972 , after which the German general manager was expelled from the country. After that, the company went through several ups and downs in the years that followed. At the end of the 1990s, the new government decided to invest again in the defense industry. Therefore DICON got a new board and negotiations with Russia in connection with the technology transfer were initiated.

The Nigerian company currently employs 700 people in Kaduna , where light weapons and ammunition are manufactured, while another factory in Bauchi builds light armored vehicles. Officially, the weapons produced are intended exclusively for the Nigerian army and police.

The following are produced, among others:

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Thales Advanced Engineering ( Memento of the original from December 26, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.thales.co.za
  2. ↑ Stephen D. Goose and Frank Smyth; “Arming Genocide in Rwanda” in Foreign Affairs , September / October 1994, accessible on the Internet at the following address: http://www.franksmyth.com/clients/FrankSmyth/frankS.nsf/0/6c451d09f1540d7585256b7b00790668?OpenDocument  ( page no longer available , Search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . According to the study, Rwanda bought $ 5.9 million in arms from South Africa at the same time. The delivery included R4 rifles (a South African copy of Israeli Galil ), Browning 12.7 mm machine guns, 100 60 mm grenades, 70 40 mm grenade launchers with 10,000 rounds, 20mila rifle grenades, 10,000 hand grenades, 1.5 million rounds Rifle ammunition for R4 rifles and over 1 million rounds for Browning machine guns.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.franksmyth.com  
  3. ↑ http://www.mic.sd/idex/en/products
  4. ↑ Sudan is supposed to deliver weapons to Libyan Islamists. In: derStandard.at. September 7, 2014, accessed December 17, 2017 .
  5. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/13/world/africa/arms-shipments-seen-from-sudan-to-syria-rebels.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
  6. ↑ https://www.radiodabanga.org/node/76247  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.radiodabanga.org  
  7. ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2012/10/30/why-would-israel-bomb-sudan-theories-cite-iran-hamas-even-the-us/