Page 5 - ADT NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021 Online Magazine

Burning relations with China, France, and Italy. Notably, [ COVER STORY ]

France, which completed only one deal with
Egypt in 2000–2009 (for 16 Super-530D mis-
siles), has emerged as one of the largest arms
suppliers to Egypt, alongside Russia.

Ambition Upgraded Military
Egypt received numerous advanced major
weapon systems in 2014–20. These included 24
Rafale combat aircraft with 500 air-to-surface
missiles and a FREMM frigate with 15 anti-
ship missiles from France; and 3 S-300VM air
defence systems with 190 surface-to-air mis-
EGYPT IS LOOKING TO REGAIN ITS ROLE AS A siles, and 39 MiG-29 combat aircraft with 225
MAJOR REGIONAL PLAYER. air-to-air missiles from Russia. Furthermore,
Egypt ordered another 30 Rafale fighter jets.
An estimated US$4.5 billion order for a fur-
Jay Menon
ther batch of 30 Dassault-built Rafale multi-role
fighters means the ongoing modernisation and
Egyptian Armed Forces (EAF) has embarked on an extensive expansion of the Egyptian Air Force is continu-
equipment revitalization programme. Arms procurement expanded ing apace.
significantly after Abdul Fattah al-Sisi became President in 2014.
Egypt placed at over 50 orders for procurement of major arms Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO, Eric
in 2014–20. Over this period, Egypt strengthened its arms trade Trappier, said:
relations with Germany and Russia and developed its arms trade “THIS NEW ORDER IS PROOF OF
THE UNFAILING BOND THAT UNITES
EGYPT, THE FIRST FOREIGN USER
OF THE RAFALE, AS IT WAS FOR
THE MIRAGE 2000, WITH DASSAULT
AVIATION.”

The new batch of Egyptian Rafales will be F3-R
Standard, equipped with active electronically
scanned array (AESA) radar and the ability
to integrate advanced sensors and weapons,
including Thales Talios new-generation laser
designator pod, and the laser homing version of
Safran’s modular AASM air-to-ground weapon,

ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY November / December 2021 | 5