EDEX 2025: New Sakr 105 thermobaric launcher gives Egyptian squads a stronger option for bunker reduction.

Egypt’s Arab Organization for Industrialization introduced the Sakr 105 at EDEX 2025 as a reusable 105 millimeter shoulder-mounted launcher intended for short-range anti-structure and anti-armor roles.

At EDEX 2025, Egypt presented the Sakr 105, a new fully Egyptian-made shoulder-fired launcher developed by the Arab Organization for Industrialization as part of the ongoing expansion of domestically produced infantry systems. The launcher was characterized as suitable for firing both anti-tank and thermobaric projectiles and was described as either a recoilless rifle or a shoulder-fired thermobaric launcher, depending on the munition in use. Its introduction aligned with Egypt’s broader efforts to diversify its infantry support capabilities within a national defense industrial framework.
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The Sakr 105 is a shoulder-mounted launcher firing 105 mm projectiles, including anti-tank and thermobaric rounds, allowing Egyptian infantry units to employ it against fortified positions, personnel in cover, or lightly armored vehicles. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The Sakr 105 displayed at EDEX 2025 is a shoulder-mounted launcher designed to fire 105 mm projectiles that include thermobaric and anti-tank types, indicating its intended role for short-range engagements against fortified positions and lightly armored targets. The complete system weighs 3.25 kg, measures 370 mm in length, provides a firing rate of three rockets per minute, and has a service life of 200 firings, placing it within the category of reusable infantry weapons rather than disposable tubes. Its minimum aiming range is 50 m, the direct firing range is 160 m, and the optical sight aiming range extends to 700 m, allowing its employment across a controlled engagement envelope typical of urban and close terrain environments. The launcher requires a backblast safety distance of 30 m and is rated for operating temperatures between minus 20 and plus 50 degrees Celsius, enabling use across multiple climates encountered by Egyptian units.

The Arab Organization for Industrialization (AIO), which developed the Sakr 105, was established in 1975 by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates with the purpose of supervising the collective development of an Arab defense industry in response to regional military capability trends. The organization began with an initial capitalization of one billion dollars contributed equally by the four states, with the understanding that its headquarters and industrial base would be located in Egypt. Following political developments that included the Egypt-Israel peace treaty and Egypt’s subsequent period of isolation, the other member states withdrew over time and returned their shares valued at 1.8 billion dollars in 1993, resulting in AOI becoming wholly owned by Egypt while retaining its original treaty framework. AOI employs approximately 16,000 personnel, including around 1,250 engineers, and operates 12 factories and one joint venture alongside the Arab Institute for Development Technology. Its governance is overseen by a Supreme Committee chaired by the Egyptian president and including several cabinet ministers, reflecting its status as a state-owned industrial organization. AOI directs much of its output to Egyptian military requirements while assigning spare capacity to civilian sectors such as transportation, sanitation equipment, and prospective wind power initiatives. Its factories also produce artillery ammunition compatible with BM-21 Grad, D-30, M-46, tank components for M60 and M1A1 assembly, small arms such as the Misr assault rifle, and a wide range of associated military equipment.

Recoilless rifles such as the Sakr 105 are infantry weapons designed to fire large caliber projectiles while eliminating most recoil by venting propellant gases rearward, allowing use from shoulder mounts or light tripods without the structural reinforcement required for traditional artillery. These weapons differ from rocket launchers because their projectiles are expelled entirely by the deflagration of a propellant charge rather than by rocket propulsion after launch, although some variants include rocket-assisted rounds. Recoilless systems appeared in several forms during the twentieth century, ranging from early experimental concepts to widely deployed weapons such as the M18, M20, and M40 used during the Korean War. Their portability made them valuable for airborne, mountain, and light infantry units that required direct fire capability without heavy crew-served equipment. The absence of recoil allowed larger calibers than could be carried in conventional shoulder weapons, expanding the available warhead types, including high-explosive, anti-tank, and smoke rounds. While the arrival of man-portable guided missiles reduced the prominence of large recoilless rifles in some armies, many states continue to field lighter recoilless systems for short-range engagements.

Shoulder-fired weapons also represent a diverse category of systems operated by a single individual, including reusable launchers, disposable tubes, rocket-propelled grenades, and man-portable missiles against ground or air targets. Their defining characteristic is the ability to deliver significant firepower without vehicle mounts or multiple crew members, making them suitable for dispersed infantry operations and rapid reaction scenarios. The category includes unguided launchers such as RPG-7, AT4, and M72 LAW, as well as guided systems like FGM 148 Javelin or FIM 92 Stinger, each adapted to different tactical requirements. Many shoulder-fired systems rely on backblast or booster charges to expel the projectile safely before any main propulsion ignites, keeping recoil at manageable levels for the operator. Over time, improvements in materials, optics, ergonomics, and munition design have increased their effectiveness across varying environments. These systems remain widely produced globally because they are adaptable, relatively simple to maintain, and suitable for roles ranging from anti-structure to anti-armor and low altitude air defense.

Thermobaric weapons, like those that could be fired from the Sakr 105, differ from conventional high-explosive munitions by dispersing a fuel cloud that ignites using atmospheric oxygen, which generates an extended-duration pressure wave that moves through available openings and enclosed spaces. The initial charge disperses the fuel mixture into an aerosol, which then ignites, producing a high-temperature fireball and pressure effect that is sustained longer than traditional explosives of comparable weight. Because the blast interacts with the surrounding environment, thermobaric munitions are particularly effective against structures, tunnel systems, bunkers, and field fortifications that are not sealed from atmospheric air. Their mechanism is based on principles similar to vapor cloud explosions observed in industrial settings, adapted into controlled military applications across several calibers and delivery systems. Multiple states develop thermobaric munitions ranging from grenades and shoulder-fired rockets to aircraft-delivered bombs, reflecting their versatility in confined or urban environments.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.