Sudan moving to produce heavy weapons, minister says

January 18, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese defense minister, General Abdul Rahim Mohamed Hussien, has declared that his country is planning to start producing heavy weapons after it already ended dependence on purchases of small arms from outside.

According to Hussien, Sudan has gone past the level of dependence on the outside world to provide small arms to the military.

He went on to explain that Sudan’s Military Industry Corporation (MIC) had already finished manufacturing small arms and was now preparing to take it to a higher level by producing heavy weapons.

General Hussien pointed out that Sudan participated in Dubai’s Airshow with two drone warplanes.

Sudan’s spending on defense is one of the highest levels in the world.

According to a report by Research and Market, the Sudanese defense expenditure stood at US$3.308bn in 2010 and is expected to rise to US$3.923bn in 2011, amounting to 22.2% of GDP.

(ST)