Military production in Africa

Military production in Africa

In Africa, the spread of small arms is a well-known scourge, which contributes to the instability of large areas of the continent. In addition to weapons from other parts of the world (especially, but not exclusively, from Eastern Europe), it is stated that local production could have disturbing developments over time. Among the African countries producing weapons there are South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Namibia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, to which is added Egypt.
The largest producer is South Africa, which he inherited from the apartheid regime a military sophisticated and diverse. Currently, in South Africa there are about 700 companies that operate in the military sector and employing 22,500 employees (at the end of the 80s was 160,000). Most are small and medium industries, while the giant Denel state controls the most significant companies. With regard to small arms, the major manufacturers are: Vektor (pistols, assault rifles, machine guns, mortars, automatic cannon 20 mm); MGL Milkor Marketing (Pty) Ltd (automatic grenade launcher); Mechem (antimateriali rifles from 12.7 to 20 mm); ARAM (Pty) Ltd (12.7 mm heavy machine guns); New Generation Ammunition (small and large), LIW (30 cannons and 35 mm); Truvelo Armoury Division (pistols, rifles and parts of arms); Pretoria Metal Pressings (PMP) (12.7 x 99mm ammunition; 12.7 x 76mm, 9 x 19mm, 51mm x 7.62, the 5.56 x 45mm).
According to official figures the country exports war products in 61 different countries, even if the privileged areas are the Middle East and Africa. The largest customer is Algeria, despite this country is in the throes of a civil war in which the security forces have been accused of atrocities and massacres against civilians. The most important customers are: Algeria, India, Republic of China, United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Kuwait, Oman, Peru, Swaziland, Congo Brazzaville, Botswana, Uganda, Rwanda, Tunisia, Costa d'Ivoire, Kenya, Zambia, Mozambique and Mexico.
In 2001, 32% of South African exports were absorbed from Africa. Algeria alone accounts for 28% of all sales in Africa. At the North African country have been sold, among other things, UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), reconnaissance and an update package of the fleet of Mil Mi24 Hind gunship helicopters of Soviet origin. The rest of the exports is divided as follows: 15% Middle East; 16% of South Asia; 15% of the rest of Asia; 16% Europe; Americas 5% and 1% of the United Nations (equipment for peacekeepers).
Not all countries can receive the same systems produced by the South African industries. The law on the export of armaments has identified four categories of media that are subject to varying degrees of control for their exports:
Category A: Significant Major Sensitive Equipment (SMSE) - or any weapon that can cause a high number of casualties and damage to tall structures.
Category B: Significant Sensitive Equipment (SSE) - small arms.
Category C: Non-sensitive equipment (NSE) - systems used in support of combat operations without a specific lethal capabilities (eg logistics systems and telecommunications)
Category D: Non-lethal equipment (NLE) - means defensive systems such as mine clearance.
So some countries can only buy systems of the last two categories (non-lethal), such as Zimbabwe where the last delivery was in 2000 and concerned only systems of category D.
Although Zimbabwe has inherited an embryonic military industry by the previous regime (when the country was still called Rhodesia). Starting from this basis in 1984, was founded the Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI). This company manufactures small arms, ammunition and mines. The know-how for the production of explosives and mortars was provided by France, while China has built an ammunition factory for infantry weapons. Among the customers from ZDI there are Angola (UNITA rebels and the government army), the Sudanese rebels and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In the Congo, where the troops of Mugabe's support President Kabila, in exchange for supplies of ZDI, Harare has been able to obtain the concession of 37.5% of the stock of Gecamines, the state mining company of Congo. Zimbabwe, finally, is seeking new partners for the production of armaments. Before the end of the war in Angola, were ongoing talks between Harare and Luanda in Angola for the establishment of a common facility for the production of armaments. With the end of the war, however, the Angolan government seems to have lost interest in the enterprise.
The ZDI produces light weapons (including copy of the Israeli UZI submachine gun and the Czech CZ25) and especially ammunition (from 9 mm to 20 mm), mortar shells (60, 81 and 120 mm), grenades and anti-tank mines. Among the official guests of Zimbabwe there are South Africa, Malawi, Botswana, Tanzania and Zambia
Always in East Africa, Uganda also has a small arms industry. In this country, there are at least three weapons factories. The largest, Nakasongola Arms Factory, is owned by China (a joint venture between the Beijing government and some engineers and entrepreneurs from China, North Korea and South Africa). This establishment is located in the region of Gulu (where the Lord has raged for years 'Resistance Liberation Army-LRA) and produces small arms and mines, provided the army of Burundi and all' UNITA in Angola. Then there is the Saracen that supplies the Ugandan army, and whose owner is the Strategic Resources Corporation, a symbol behind which lies the famous Executive Outcomes (EO), the Private Military Company (PMC) of South Africa, which officially ended activities at the end of 1999, but it is suspected that act at multiple discrete symbols. Finally, there is the Ottoman Engineering LTD, specializing in small arms. Uganda is one of the customers of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In Kenya, the Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation manufactures ammunition for pistols and assault rifles (20 and 60 thousand per day). The factory was built with the help of the Belgian FN and was inaugurated in 2000. The Kenyan government says that its production is destined only to the local armed forces and that it will not grant export licenses.
The only producer of war in West Africa is Nigeria. The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) was created in 1964, with a special law, the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Act This industry has played an important role during the war for secession of Biafra (1968-70). Entrusted to foreign managers, the company was declared bankrupt in 1972 and its general manager, a German, was expelled from the country. The company has continued to operate up and down for about 30 years, under the regime of the military. At the end of the 90s, the new civilian government decided to boost military production. To this end, he was appointed a new board of directors of DICON and contacts have been made with Russia for the transfer of technology.
The Nigerian company currently employs about 700 people at the plant in Kaduna where arms and ammunition are produced, while in the factory in Bauchi are made of light armored vehicles. Officially, the weapons produced are intended only for the needs of the armed forces and police in Nigeria. Among the materials produced are: Nigerian Model 1 Rifle 7.62 mm (NR 1 - 7.62 Licensed British-Belgian); 1 Nigerian Pistol - 9MM Model (NPI - 9mm); Sub-Machine Gun (PM 12S Calibre license from Beretta 9MM Italian) DICON SG 1-86 Single Barrel Shot Gun; DICON M-36 Hand Grenade; 7.62mm x 51 soft core (Ball) Cartridge 7.62 X 51 Soft Core (Ball); 7.62 x 51 9 x 19MM Parabellum Bulleted Blank Cartridges, 9MM Blank Star; 12 Bore Shot - Gun Cartridge.
In North Africa, the largest producer of armaments is Egypt. This country also exports in sub-Saharan Africa. In 1992, two years before the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, a contract was signed for the purchase of weapons for the Egyptian army in Rwanda. The contract, financially guaranteed by a French bank, included 60 mortars and 82 mm; 16 thousand mortar shells; some 122 mm howitzers with 3 thousand shots; rocket launchers; plastic explosives; 3 million landmines and small caliber bullets.
Among the Egyptian producers of small arms include: Abu Kir Engineering Industries / Factory 10 (small caliber ammunition); Al-Ma'asera Company for Engineering Industries (MF 45) (small and large caliber ammunition); Arab International Optronic (AIO) SAE (tracking systems); Helwan Machine Tools Company / Factory 999 (mortars); Kaha Company for Chemical Industries (MF 270) (rifle grenades, hand grenades); Maadi Company for Engineering Industries (pistols, rifles, light and heavy machine guns, grenade launchers; Sakr Factory for Developed Industries (anti-tank rockets); Shoubra Company for Engineering Industries (MF 27) (ammunition).