Bishoftu Automotive Engineering Industry is an Ethiopian manufacturing and assembly center for heavy

armament A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, s ...

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engin ...

s and

military vehicle A military vehicle is any vehicle for land-based military transport and activity, including combat vehicles; both specifically designed for, or significantly used by military and armed forces. Most military vehicles require off-road capabiliti ...

s. It is one of the organizations of the Ethiopian Defense Industry supporting the

Ethiopian National Defense Force The Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) ( am, የኢፌዲሪ መከላከያ ሠራዊት, Ye’īfēdērī mekelakeya šerawīt, lit=FDRE Defense Force) is the military force of Ethiopia. Civilian control of the military is carried out t ...

History

The complex was set up in 1987 as a heavy repair center for tanks and armored vehicles. The Derg regime had plans to eventually produce tanks, armored vehicles, aircraft missiles like air-to-air missiles and SCUD missiles at the complex.

Operations

The Ethiopian government is doing everything to transform the country's economy from its current dependency on rain fed agriculture. Although the country's economy is highly dependent on agriculture it is not farfetched to imagine an Ethiopian economy that is based on manufacturing and modern heavy industries like mining. While the mining Industry is still for most part in the preliminary stage of development the manufacturing sector is off to a good start. One among the few home grown manufacturing sectors is the huge Bishoftu Automotive Industry outside Addis Ababa. The complex is structured in five departments as follows: * Tanks and armored vehicles manufacturing Rebuild of all tanks and armored vehicles used by Ethiopian forces. * Military Vehicles manufacturing Maintaining light and heavy trucks used by the Ethiopian ground forces. * Motor manufacturing and Mechanical workshop The department manufacturing engines and produces spare parts for tanks, armored vehicles and military trucks. * Medium and Heavy weapons manufacturing and electroplating section Repair and support of supply logistics by repairing and overhauling medium and heavy weapons. The

electroplating Electroplating, also known as electrochemical deposition or electrodeposition, is a process for producing a metal coating on a solid substrate through the reduction of cations of that metal by means of a direct electric current. The part to be ...

shop is the largest both in its diversity and capacity in Ethiopia. * Communications Apparatus manufacturing and Maintenance Section Repair and maintain various communications apparatuses and electronic equipment in use with the Ethiopian forces.

Other services

In order to fully utilize its capacity and generate income, the center provides services to civilian customers through spare parts supply, electroplating services, and manufacturing machineries for various civilian industries.

References

FDRE Defense Industry, May 2008
Bishoftu Motorization Engineering Complex profile
{{coord missing, Ethiopia Military industrial facilities of Ethiopia Oromia Region