A private Egyptian company named "Amistone" has successfully entered the field of defense industries, offering consultations and security and military services. Established in 2018 as a private joint-stock company, it is owned by Egyptian investors and shareholders. The company aims to provide locally manufactured Egyptian products in collaboration with major global companies, according to the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram.
Notably, this vessel is the first of its kind; an unmanned craft designed for patrol missions and coastal security, which was locally manufactured in partnership with the Italian company Leonardo and a Cypriot firm. This craft, named "Hydra B5," was completed in less than four months.
The remote-controlled vessel has a payload capacity of 600 kg and weighs 1500 kg, with a length of just 2.1 meters. It can reach speeds of up to 85 nautical miles and is armed with a remote-controlled Browning machine gun of 12.7 mm caliber. Additionally, it features a small drone that can be launched from the vessel for close reconnaissance missions, and it can be equipped with lightweight Italian torpedoes known as Black Scorpion.
The unmanned vessel can be used as a "kamikaze" suicide boat by equipping its hull with explosives. This weapon was showcased for the first time at the "EDEX 2023" exhibition. The company also announced the production of a drone in collaboration with a Cypriot firm, the H12 Poseidon. This drone is intended for reconnaissance, surveillance, and armed attack missions, with an operational range exceeding 150 km. It is designed to operate in challenging environments, overcoming jamming and interference with GNSS navigation systems while functioning in severe weather conditions. The drone is equipped with electro-optical and thermal observation systems enabling it to perform various reconnaissance tasks.
