Daily Alert Archives

Egypt Modernizing Army

[Jerusalem Post] Yaakov Lappin - Egypt's military is gradually replacing dated Soviet equipment with superior American F-16 fighter jets, Apache combat helicopters and Abrams tanks, according to arms control expert Prof. Yiftah Shapir of Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Securities Studies. Egypt has an estimated 470,000 men in its ground forces, 150,000 of them reserves, as well as 3,100 tanks, including more than 1,000 modern M1A1 Abram tanks that were assembled in Egypt. The country's air force includes 211 advanced F-16D jets, and 35 Apaches. Egypt has advanced air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, and has been supplied by the U.S. with 16 HAWK missile batteries. Egypt has 27 guided-missile frigates, 12 mine warfare vessels, and 19 gunboats. It is thought to possess 190 Scud-type missiles. Nevertheless, "Egypt believes Israel is fully interested in safeguarding the status quo, and Israel believes the same of Egypt," Shapir said.
2008-11-04 01:00:00
Full Article