SHYLKAS MODERNIZED IN UKRAINE WILL PROTECT EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS Ukrainian authorities hope
Ukraine has submitted a bid for an international tender declared by Egypt that is seeking to modernize its anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems.
Produced by the former Soviet Union, the ZSU-23-4U anti-aircraft self-propelled installations code named Shylka are used to protect land troops from air attack.
At present, the Egyptian army has over 1000 anti-aircraft weapons of different classes that have been produced by different countries. Under a contract, whose costs are kept secret by Egypt, almost 150 Soviet-made Shylkas will be modernized. It is known, however, that Egypt wants the Shylka’s guns, the moving vehicles, and the computer equipment be updated.
Ukraine has military factories currently controlled by the Defense Ministry that in Soviet times repaired this type of weapons. Using these plants and the expertise of Ukrainian artillery weapons designers, Ukraine hopes to win the Egyptian tender.
Russia appears to be Ukraine’s major competitor. The Russian machine-building plant in the city of Ulyanovsk is the serial producer of the Shylka anti-aircraft systems.
“We are looking forward to the decision of the Egypt government, and our chances are not bad,” said Oleksandr Baranchuk, director of the Kyiv Institute for Designing Artillery Equipment and Firearms.
As one of the world’s largest arms importers, Egypt spent $8 billion in the 1990s to purchase weapons, the bulk from the United States. But Egypt is carefully avoiding one-partner military deals, buying arms also from France, China, Russia, Italy, and Ukraine.
Several Egyptian anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems have been modernized at Ukrainian military factories. To learn how to operate them, a group of Egyptian officers have received short-term training at Ukrainian educational institutions.
Until recently Egypt has been enthusiastic about the idea of purchasing 350 used tanks. If Ukraine tries hard and succeeds in convincing Egypt that its tanks are the best, maybe Egypt will make a deal with it again.
