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extensive equipment modernization program with political power and independence; it has long had a
significant purchases from foreign suppliers; major crucial role in Egypt’s politics and has a large stake in the
suppliers have included France, Germany, Italy, Russia, civilian economy, including running banks, businesses,
and the US; Egypt has an established defense industry gas stations, shipping lines, and utilities, and producing
that produces a range of products from small arms to consumer and industrial goods, importing commodities,
armored vehicles and naval vessels; it also has licensed and building and managing infrastructure projects, such
and co-production agreements with several countries, as bridges, roads, hospitals, and housing; the various
including the US. enterprises are reportedly profitable enough to make
the armed forces largely self-funded.
Capabilities The Navy in recent years has sought to modernize
Egypt’s armed forces are the second-largest in the region and expand its capabilities and profile in the Eastern
and are focused principally on maintaining territorial Mediterranean and Red Sea, including the acquisition
integrity and internal security, including tackling ISIS- of helicopter carriers, modern frigates, and attack
affiliated groups in northern Sinai. The armed forces submarines; in 2020, the EAF inaugurated a large joint
remain deeply involved in the civilian economy and service military base on the Red Sea to secure the
retain a central role in Egyptian politics. Egypt and country’s southern coasts, protect economic investments
the US maintain a strong strategic partnership, which and natural resources, and confront security challenges
has seen significant US equipment deliveries and in the Red Sea region.
ongoing foreign military assistance. Defence relations The EAF is the largest and one of the best equipped
have developed with Russia and other states such as militaries in the region; the Army’s primary combat
France, particularly regarding procurement. National forces include approximately 13 divisions, which are
military training is supplemented by regular bilateral mostly armored or mechanized, complemented by some
and multinational exercises. Egypt has a developing independent armored and infantry brigades; the EAF
capacity to deploy independently beyond its borders. has approximately 5,000 artillery systems, plus surface-
It contributes to UN missions, has intervened militarily to-surface missile forces and a large special operations
in Libya and sent some combat aircraft to support the command, which includes airborne, airmobile,
Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. The navy’s two Mistral- commando, special forces, and other specialized units;
class amphibious the Navy’s principal warships are approximately 20
assault ships have bolstered its regional deployment frigates and corvettes, 8 attack submarines, and 2
capacity, although Egypt currently lacks the range French-built helicopter-capable amphibious assault
of maritime helicopters to fully utilise these vessels’ ships (LHDs); the Air Force has more than 300 French-,
capabilities. The armed forces’ inventory primarily Russian-, and US-made fighter and multipurpose fighter
comprises obsolete Soviet-era systems and newer aircraft, as well as nearly 100 US- and Russian-produced
Western-origin equipment though an extensive attack helicopters.
recapitalisation programme has also included the Egypt is a major security partner of the US and also has
delivery of Russian multi-role fighters, attack helicopters Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation
and SAM systems. However, it is possible that the threat under US law that provides foreign partners with certain
of sanctions by the US and others may have led some benefits in the areas of defense trade and security
acquisitions from Russia to stall. Combat aircraft have cooperation.
also been sourced from France and armed UAVs from
China. Naval recapitalisation includes submarines (from The Multinational Force & Observers (MFO) has operated
Germany) and frigates (from France, Germany and Italy). in the Sinai since 1982 as a peacekeeping and monitoring
The diversity of the inventory risks complicating military force to supervise the implementation of the security
maintenance and sustainment. Egypt has an established provisions of the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace;
domestic defence industry, although it does not have the the MFO is an independent international organization,
capability to fully develop platforms. This has resulted created by agreement between Egypt and Israel; it is
in a number of licensed- and co-production agreements composed of about 1,150 troops from 13 countries;
with foreign companies, including the local assembly Colombia, Fiji, and the US are the leading providers of
of M1A1 main battle tanks from US-supplied kits, troops to the MFO (2023).
production of Chinese-designed K-8 jet trainers and of
frigates with French assistance.
MILITARY NOTES
The Egyptian Armed Forces (EAF) are responsible
for external defense but also have an internal role
assisting police and paramilitary security forces during
emergencies and in anti-terrorism operations; the
EAF also participates in foreign peacekeeping and
other security missions, as well as both bilateral and SOURCE: THE MILITARY BALANCE 2023, CIA THE WORLD
multinational exercises; the military has considerable FACTBOOK, WORLD BANK, SIPRI