American International Contractors Inc. (AICI), McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $24,750,303 firm-fixed-price contract to construct an F-16 maintenance hangar at Marsa Matrouh Air Base in Egypt. AICI is a design/build international construction firm which specializes in US-funded Middle East and African infrastructure projects.
With an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2024. Fiscal 2019 Foreign Military Financing funds. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East District, is the contracting activity.
The Egyptian Air Force operates 220 F-16s, making it the 4th largest F-16 operator in the world. The F-16 is the EAF’s primary frontline aircraft, and is used for both air defence and ground attack. On June 25, 1980, Egypt signed a letter of agreement to acquire 42 block 15 F-16A/B fighters under the Peace Vector I FMS (Foreign Military Sales) program. The first F-16 was accepted by the Egyptian Air Force during a ceremony at Fort Worth in January of 1982, with the first six planes arriving in Egypt on March 16th of that year.
Marsa Matrouh Air Base hosts the 102nd Tactical Fighter Brigade. Marsa Matruh International Airport, formerly Mersa Matruh Airport, is an international airport in Mersa Matruh, Egypt. In 2011, the airport served 99,515 passengers. The Mersa Matruh VOR-DME (Ident: MMA) is located on the field.
American International Contractors Inc. has a proven track record of successfully completing a wide range of projects in various locations throughout the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Since 1974, AICI has served clients in both the public and private sectors. Its public sector clients include US government agencies such as the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and the US Department of State Bureau of Overseas Building Operations (OBO).
“Fiscal 2019 Foreign Military Financing (Egypt) funds in the amount of $24 750 303 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East District, is the contracting activity,” the Department of Defence stated.
American International Contractors has previously done work in Egypt – between 2012 and 2017 it built hangars and other infrastructure as part of the Peace Vector VII Package B. The $112 million project saw the design and construction of an aircraft maintenance hangar, a fuel cell maintenance hangar, a control tower, the renovation of the existing airfield lighting vault, a runway pavement mill and an overlay, the new construction for overruns for runways, new arresting cables and new nets.
The design-build facilities and upgrades included seven new aircraft shelters, pilot housing, squadron operations, crash fire rescue, hydrazine, fire pump house, communications, security administration, personnel support facilities, aircraft fuel pump house and fuel admin facilities, amongst others. Site improvements included site demolition, site development, roads and parking lots, and a packaged wastewater treatment plant.
Under the Peace Vector VII Package C project, American International Contractors was awarded a $14 million contract to upgrade Egyptian F-16 base facilities. Work was carried out between 2017 and 2019. Work included the construction of new munitions storage compound, construction of a vehicle maintenance facility, construction of a squadron operations building, and the construction of additional sewage connections.