US to supply Egypt air defence units
The Pentagon notified Congress on Monday of a proposed sale to Egypt of 25 Avenger air defence systems plus related equipment valued at up to $126 million.
The Defence Security Cooperation Agency, the Pentagon arm that handles government-to-government arms sales, said the sale of the units that fire Stinger missiles would reduce Egypt’s dependence on its old Soviet-supplied air defence systems.
It also would enhance “potential interoperability” with US forces, the agency said in a mandatory notice of a proposed weapons sale that lawmakers have the power to block.
The principal contractor for the Avenger is the Boeing Company, which has had several high-value contracts with the Department of Defence in the past.
Arms for stability
In a companion notice, the Pentagon proposed to sell Egypt 50 turbine engines for Chinook helicopters and associated hardware and services. The prime contractor would be Honeywell International Inc, the notice said.
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The US uses Chinook helicopters |
Both proposed sales were described by the Pentagon as contributing to US national security by boosting a friendly state that continues to be “an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East”.
The announcement of the deals comes a week after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in Cairo criticizing the Egyptian government for emergency law, arbitrary justice and violence against peaceful demonstrators.