US State Department approves sale of missile system to Egypt.

US State Department approves sale of missile system to Egypt.

The Pentagon announced that the US State Department has approved the sale of a surface-to-air missile system to the Egyptian government for $4.67 billion.

The weapons package will include four radar systems, hundreds of missiles, dozens of guidance units, and technical, engineering, and logistical support.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency described the Egyptian government as a key ally of Washington and a factor in regional stability, and assessed the sale of this defense system to Cairo in line with US foreign policy and national security objectives.

According to the report, the US Congress has also been informed of the military sale and has issued the necessary authorization.

If the deal is finalized, about 26 US government employees and 34 contractors will be sent to Egypt for an extended period to provide training and technical support.

Al Jazeera, referring to the history of relations between Cairo and Washington, wrote, Egypt, a long-standing US ally in West Asia, has received extensive defense assistance from Washington since the signing of the peace agreement with Israel in 1979.

The Qatari media outlet stated that Cairo’s rapprochement with Beijing was one of Washington’s concerns, adding, “In recent years, there have been signs of closer ties between Egypt and China, including the holding of the two countries’ first joint military maneuvers in April and May of this year, in which the air forces of the two countries conducted joint exercises for two weeks.”