Egypt has a plan to upgrade its fleet of M1A1 Main Battle Tanks to the M1A2 standard in collaboration with the United States.
According to the Military Balance 2020, Egypt has a total of 2,480 Main Battle Tanks including 1,130 M1A1 Abrams, 300 M60A1, 850 M60A3, 200 T-62. The first batch consisted of 555 vehicles and final deliveries under this program were completed in 1998. The American M1A1 is now produced under license in Egypt.
On October 25, 2011, Egypt and the United States celebrated the resumption of co-production of M1A1 Abrams Tanks at a ceremony held at the Egyptian Tank Plant outside of Cairo. The manufacturing of M1A1s in Egypt is a key part of ongoing U.S. support for Egypt’s crucial role as a factor of security and stability in the region. Through this program, the Tank Plant provides jobs for over 2500 Egyptians and supports the capacity of the Egyptian Armed Forces to defend the country.