EDEX 2025: Aqrab Unmanned Vehicle Marks Egypt’s First Public Entry Into Armed Ground Robotics.

Egypt’s Arab Organization for Industrialization used EDEX 2025 in Cairo to reveal Aqrab, a six-wheel armed unmanned ground vehicle built for patrol and fire support. The system signals Egypt’s push into modular robotic combat platforms that reduce troop exposure in high-risk missions.

On 1st December 2025, the Arab Organization for Industrialization used EDEX 2025 in Cairo to unveil a new unmanned ground system called Aqrab, a six-wheeled robotic vehicle armed with a half-inch remote launch platform and gun operated from under armor. Army Recognition’s team at the show saw the vehicle up close, confirming its role as Egypt’s first publicly exhibited armed UGS designed for high-risk patrol, reconnaissance, and fire support missions.
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Aqrab UGS mounts a stabilized 12.7 mm remote weapon station with day-night sensors for precise standoff fire against light armored and soft targets (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

Aqrab sits in the medium combat UGV class. The six-wheel chassis features a low-profile armored shell and carries a roof-mounted remote weapon station with a stabilized cradle, electro-optical and infrared cameras, and a laser rangefinder for operator-directed precision fire at significant standoff. Egyptian officials describe the primary effector as a half-inch heavy machine gun, placing it in the 12.7 mm category and giving the robot enough punch to neutralize light armored vehicles, soft skins, and fortified positions while remaining logistically straightforward. The compact sensor and weapon package is built around continuous day night operation, giving operators clean situational awareness even in urban clutter.

Behind the vehicle is an industrial partnership that matured over the past year, with AOI leveraging Turkish unmanned ground vehicle software and autonomy packages while developing its own chassis and integration approach. The cooperation allows Egyptian engineers to combine locally manufactured mechanical subsystems with imported command algorithms, creating a hybrid architecture that can be adapted for export customers. AOI officials at the show stressed that the initiative aims to build a scalable unmanned ground vehicle family suitable for Arab and African militaries looking to reduce manpower exposure during border security and counterinsurgency tasks.

Aqrab gives Egyptian units a forward gun platform they can push into alleys, suspected ambush zones, or heavily mined approaches long before committing dismounted troops. The system’s presentation at EDEX centered on its ability to conduct patrol, fire support, and reconnaissance in high-risk environments without exposing soldiers to small arms, IEDs, or sniper fire. With its stabilized sensors, the vehicle can silently surveil intersections, overwatch checkpoints, or accompany convoys while the operator remains protected inside a distant command vehicle. For urban operations, its compact footprint and quiet electric drive make it particularly useful for peering behind obstacles or checking choke points before units advance.

Industrial planners see Aqrab as a bridge to a broader unmanned defense portfolio. The system’s modular architecture allows customers to replace the weapon station with their own machine guns, electro-optical turrets, non-lethal payloads, or even engineering tools. This adaptability positions Aqrab as an appealing entry-level UGS for countries seeking to build experience in human-machine teaming without the financial or technical burden of acquiring heavier tracked systems.

In the global market, Aqrab sits below larger Western platforms such as the Estonian THeMIS or Rheinmetall’s Mission Master, both of which carry heavier armament and larger payloads. Its size and design philosophy place it closer to compact Russian and Asian UGVs built for patrol and point defense tasks. Countries can employ Aqrab for border surveillance, forward operating base security, urban patrols, or mechanized escort roles, making it a versatile and relatively low-cost solution for militaries beginning to integrate armed robotics.