Egypt has announced the launch of a three-year Egyptian weapons manufacturing plan to achieve self-sufficiency and export Egyptian weapons abroad.

On Feb. 25, Minister of State for Military Production Mohamed al-Assar announced a plan to develop the arms and ammunition production of the companies affiliated with the ministry, with a total investment of about 7.5 billion Egyptian pounds ($479 million).

Assar said in the statement, “The plan includes the modernization and addition of 84 production lines. After its implementation, Egypt will not import a single round of ammunition. Egypt wants Egyptians to manufacture their own weapons and the plan needs three years to be properly implemented.”

On Feb. 17, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi inaugurated Military Factory 300 operating under Abu Zaabal Company for Specialized Industries, which manufactures multiple small- and medium-caliber weapons ammunition and missiles. Sisi opened a number of other new projects for military production in the military factories of Banha Company for Electronic Industries (Factory 144), Kaha Company for Chemical Industries (Factory 270) and Helwan Machinery and Equipment Company (999 Military Factory).