The Egyptian Avengers
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Boeing’s Avenger system mounts 8 Raytheon FIM-92 Stinger short range air defense missiles on a Humvee jeep, along with an FN M3P .50 cal machine gun and automated systems that use optical sights, infrared, a laser rangefinder, and an IFF (Identification Friend-Or-Foe) system. In 1998, modifications began that upgraded some systems to “slew-to-cue,” which automatically slews the turret to place the sights on targets received from FAAD (Forward Area Air Defense) Command and Control systems.
Total Avenger production has been 1,004 units, of which around 800 are in service with U.S. forces. Taiwan has 70 Avenger systems, and Egypt has 50+ systems. DID has also covered U.S. modifications to a few Avenger systems that convert them for use as an upgraded “gun truck” and convoy escort vehicle in Iraq.
Egypt has submitted a pair of formal requests for Avenger systems over the last few years, one of which resulted in an order that restarted the system’s production line. Obviously, those systems will need Stinger missiles…
Contracts & Key Events
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Oct 5/11: Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ received a $26 million firm-fixed-price contract for 174 Stinger FIM-92H Block 1 missiles and 10 Electronic Component Assemblies and spare parts for Egypt and Turkey. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by the US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-09-C-0508).
June 25/09: Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ received a $26 million firm-fixed-price contract for 178 FIM-92 Stinger Missiles, 10 Electric Control Assemblies, and one Lot of ECA Spares for foreign military sales to Egypt and Turkey.
Work is to be performed in Tucson, AZ with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/12. Since Raytheon is the Stinger’s designer and manufacturer, one bid was solicited with one bid received by the Us Army Aviation & Missile Command Contracting Center in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-09-C-0508).
Oct 4/07: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF format] Egypt’s formal request for FIM-92 Stinger Block 1 Missiles, as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $83 million.
The specific request includes 25 Avengers, 164 Stinger Block 1 missiles configured for vehicle launch only, 12 fly-to-buy missiles, trainers, spares, engineering and technical assistance support, MPQ-64 Sentinel radars, SINCGARS radios, target/range/test support, containers, support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical data, training, U.S. Government Quality Assurance Teams’ services and other related elements of logistics support.
The prime contractor will be Raytheon Company of Tucson, AZ. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of 3 Field Service Representatives for three years to assist the delivery and deployment of the missiles.
As one can see from previous announcements and contracts, the request in and of itself doesn’t mean that a contract has been signed yet.
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June 27/06: Boeing announces a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement with the U.S. Army to deliver an undisclosed number of Avenger units to Egypt under a $50 million contract that includes associated spares and logistics support. The new contract calls for Boeing to deliver the Avengers by September 2008. Under a previous FMS contract, Boeing delivered Avengers to Egypt from 2000-2004. The Egyptian order will allow Boeing to restart the Avenger production line, which has been dormant since 2004.
Given the vast difference between the DSCA amount and this announcement, it is reasonable to assume that this order is for less than 25 Avenger systems.
June 27/05: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announces [PDF] Egypt’s formal request for 25 Avenger Fire Units as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $126 million. This would have provided Egypt with 2 additional short-range air defense brigades of 12 Avenger fire units per brigade (6 fire units per battalion). One of the 25 fire units will be used as an operational float and/or for training at the Air Defense Institute.
The exact request was for 25 complete Avenger Fire Units, 30 AN/VRC-92E Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) radios, 29 captive flight trainers, 25 aerial handling trainers, 25 1097A2 Humvees; support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, U. S. Government Quality Assurance Teams, and other related elements of logistics. This proposed sale is touted as reducing Egypt’s dependence on its Soviet air defense systems and enhancing potential interoperability with U.S. forces.
The principal contractors were Boeing Aerospace Company of Huntsville, AL; and International Telephone and Telegraph of Fort Wayne, IN. Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of 2 field service representatives for 1 year to support the fire units and SINCGAR radios. There will also be a U.S. Government Quality Assurance Team for 3-week intervals quarterly to participate in program management and technical reviews. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.
