After the Rafale deal, Egypt is waiting for the "watching satellite" and an unprecedented advantage for its air forces
Three French made Rafale fighter jets (front) fly with other Egyptian air force warplanes above the great pyramids in Giza, on…
Rafale planes flying over the pyramids of Giza
As of 2024, France will start delivering 30 Rafale fighters to Egypt in a deal worth four billion euros ($4.8 billion), while experts say that this agreement will open up prospects for other arms deals with France.
"As part of the same agreement, Egypt is likely to receive additional military equipment including the Falcon Eye surveillance satellite and the A330 multi-role tanker (MR)," military researcher and defense analyst at the Arab Forum for Policy Analysis in Cairo, Mohamed Al-Kinani told Breaking Defense. TT) made by Airbus.
This also strengthens Paris' strategic partnership with Cairo, said Mohamed Hassan, a researcher and defense analyst at the Egyptian Center for Strategic Studies.
Egypt is one of the most important security and economic partners of France, so it is in the interest of Paris to strengthen its relations with a country that shares the same strategic visions with it in Libya, the eastern Mediterranean, the coast and the desert, especially those countries that fight hidden terrorist and extremist groups.
In 2016, Egypt signed several deals worth $2.2 billion, including a telecommunications satellite by Airbus and the Cannes Mandelieu Space Center in France, but the agreement to acquire a surveillance satellite never saw the light of day for reasons of high cost, according to the Breaking website. Defense.
Al-Kinani added, "Today, the two parties are ready to move forward with the work of two satellites from Falcon Eye, where the financial issues are settled. The satellite will be similar to the satellite operated by the UAE Armed Forces."
Breaking Defense says Cairo has also been eyeing the MRTT tanker since 2014, given the lack of aerial refueling capabilities within its air force.
Al-Kinani describes this as important, "because Egypt will have aerial refueling capabilities for the first time ever. The Rafale, MiG-29 and Su-35 fighter jets will be able to perform air refueling capabilities at the tactical level."
"The A330 offers greater capabilities at the strategic level, expanding the operational range of the Air Force to 2,000 or 3,000 km," he added.
Al-Kinani hopes that the number of MRTT aircraft will double, "given that the Air Force is subject to continuous development plans to increase the quantity and quality."
The site also mentioned 20 new ships ranging from missile boats to light frigates, corvettes and submarines.
"The ships will be built in our local shipyards, and the Navy plans to replace the old fast attack aircraft, the Tiger October and Ramadan, with new ones," al-Kinani said.
"We also need additional corvettes for coastal and patrol missions, perhaps 1,000-ton marine patrol ships, Gowind ships or even additional 3,000-ton Miku-class ships," he added
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