Thales has announced the signing of its first contract with Egypt’s Ministry of Defence through TBEI, its joint venture with Benha Electronics Industries, to supply VHF-HD tactical radios for the Egyptian Armed Forces.
The agreement marks the first major programme awarded to TBEI, the joint venture established in January 2025 between Thales and Benha Electronics Industries, a company wholly owned by Egypt’s Ministry of Military Production.
The contract forms part of a broader agreement signed in 2022 between Egypt’s Ministry of Defence (EMOD) and Hanwha Defense for the delivery of VHF-HD tactical communication systems for Egypt’s artillery platforms. The radios are designed to provide robust interoperability and secure, field-proven tactical communications.
The programme marks the beginning of TBEI’s role as a national industrial platform for military communications in Egypt, supporting the localisation of defence technologies across tactical radios, tactical networks and network hybridisation, military satellite communications, and related services.
“This new contract marks a major step forward in our long-standing partnership with Egypt. By leveraging Thales’ field-proven tactical communications portfolio, we are proud to support, through TBEI, the Egyptian Ministry of Defence with interoperable, reliable and scalable systems that enhance operational effectiveness while contributing to local industry development,” said Christophe Salomon, Executive Vice-President for Secure Communications & Information Systems at Thales.
Thales has operated in Egypt for more than five decades, supporting the country’s defence, identity, and cybersecurity sectors. The establishment of TBEI reflects a shared ambition to strengthen sovereign industrial capabilities while creating opportunities to serve regional export markets.
The VHF-HD radios selected by the Egyptian Ministry of Defence are combat-proven tactical communication systems designed to meet demanding operational requirements. Their robustness, performance, and maturity were key factors in their selection. TBEI and Thales are also jointly evaluating future technology upgrades, including advanced networking capabilities and artificial intelligence-enabled features.
Thales said it continues to support Egypt’s industrial development through local partnerships and talent development. The company employs nearly 460 people across four sites in Egypt and works closely with national partners, including Benha Electronics Industries, which has already assembled thousands of Thales technology-based radios for the Egyptian Armed Forces.
The company also invests in developing local expertise through the Thales Training Academy for Technology and Engineering, launched in 2024 in partnership with Egypt’s Ministry of Defence and the French University in Egypt.
