EDEX 2025 – Arab Organisation for Industrialisation unveils new mines and grenade launcher
At the Cairo exhibition the Arab Organisation for Industrialisation, AOI in short, showcased several new systems, among which new mines, mine fuses and mine dispensers, as well as a new manportable grenade launcher
One among the biggest stands in Hall 4 at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre was that of AOI, which production ranges from rockets, to mines, grenade launchers, UAVs, UGVs, simulators and more. Land mines were among the starring products at the 2025 edition of EDEX.
Transforming dumb mines into smart mines, this is the role of the Smart Fuse capable to detect and identify an incoming target, initiating the tank mine according to the programming imposed by the user. The fuse can be encoded at distance, up to 400 metres, which allows modifying programming should the tactical situation, hence the type of target, be modified. The Smart Fuse has a 174 mm diameter, is 70 mm high, and has a mass of 1.8 kg. It can operate at temperatures between -20°C and +60°C, and its battery allows for four days of operation.
Although no indication on sensors adopted, EDR On-Line understood these should be of the magnetic, seismic and/or acoustic type, declared target sensing range being 50-100 metres. The fuse can be used on surface or underground, and is fitted with anti-lift and anti-rotation systems. Arming and disarming can be done at distance ensuring maximum safety for operators. According to AOI the fuse is immune to jamming, as well as to magnetic and electromagnetic scanners. Should the mine remain unused along the operational period, it can be retrieved, the fuse battery can be easily replaced, and the system is ready to be redeployed on the field.
AOI also developed an Advanced Anti-Tank Electronic Mine, purposely designed to hit the bottom of main battle tanks and heavy armoured vehicles. It is fitted with two types of sensors, one electromagnetic, which allows sensing the presence of the incoming metallic mass at distance, and one infrared, which role is to confirm the presence of the target above the mine itself. The new mine has a 117.5 mm diameter, is 178.5 mm high, and its mass is 3.5 kg. Although not specified, its warhead should be of the shaped charge type, pointed upwards, the armed penetration in rolled homogeneous armed at 500 mm distance being 140 mm. The Advanced Anti-Tank Electronic Mine can be programmed for auto-destruction after 1, 2, 3 or 4 days from deployment.
The above mentioned mine is compatible with most of the mine dispensing systems designed and produced by AOI. At EDEX the company unveiled the latest member of the Nather family of dispensing systems, ranging from very light solutions to systems to be installed on armoured vehicles. The latest addition to the family is the Nather 3/9, the single module carrying nine launch tubes each loaded with a single antitank mine. The launcher mass is only 48 kg, to which we must add that of the mined, slightly over 30 kg, which allows the Nather 3/9 to be installed on unmanned ground vehicles with a payload capacity of around 100 kg. The new version adds to existing versions, such as the Nather1, capable to deploy 100 mines, with a mass including mines of 550 kg, which can generate a 125 to 500 metres long minefield with mine density per metre between 0.2 and 0.8. This can be installed on a light vehicle, armoured or not, while the heavier Nather-2, which four modules carry 600 mines for an aggregate mass of 2,600 kg, can be installed on a wheeled armoured vehicle of the class of the Fahd, generating a 1.5-3 km long minefield with a 0.2-1 mine per metre density.
Another weapon shown was the Sakr 105 Launcher, destined to infantrymen, which can be operated by a single soldier. The system is made of a reusable launcher element, which has a mass of 3 kg, and can be used to launch up to 200 rockets. The launcher tube is 370 mm long, and on its left a rail allows installing the D-98 optronic sight developed and produced by Arab International Optronics (AIO). Although not much was unveiled of the D-98, this should be a fire control system with day and night capabilities, capable to extend the target acquisition range up to 700 metres. Two type of ammunition are available, one high explosive, possibly with pre-fragmented case, and one thermobaric; these are inserted in the launch tube from the back, no indication of length being provided, diameter being 105 mm, and no indication of mass was made available. Targets considered for the Sakr 105 are light armoured vehicles, soft skin vehicles, personnel, buildings etc. The effective range is 350 metres, however engagement range when using iron sights is limited to 160 metres. Minimum effective range is 50 metres, probably due to the time needed to arm the warhead, while a 30 metres safety space is required behind the launcher.
Photos by P. Valpolini
