by Sarah Saad
In an unusual move at the end of his speech at the 8th National Youth Conference, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi concluded the first session by repeating the phrase “Egypt’s Army” three times. This was a clear message to Egypt’s adversaries and whoever that might attempt to undermine the strength of the nation of its military.
It is essential to highlight that Egypt’s military strength is based on solid principles, foremost of which is the military doctrine: victory or martyrdom. This is in addition to possessing advanced technological systems in the fields of armament, training, and logistical and technical support, which ensures the highest levels of readiness and preparedness.
The General Command of the Armed Forces adopts a precise strategy to build a military force capable of deterrence and defending the country’s national security. They are swiftly advancing to build and organise their armament systems and combat capabilities on all strategic fronts.
The development included organising new formations within the armed forces, such as the airborne rapid intervention forces, in addition to establishing of the southern fleet to secure the maritime operations theater in the Red Sea.
Additionally, some military deployments have been reorganised into integrated military bases providing all administrative and moral services for the combatants, through training, readiness, and combat capabilities aligned with the principles of modern joint weapon operations.
Two naval fleets
The Egyptian Navy has been reinforced to consolidate its capability for securing the nation’s maritime domain with the use of the latest naval weapons used by advanced armies, including the French FREMM multipurpose frigate (Tahya Misr), the French Mistral helicopter carriers, and the German Type 209/1400 submarines. This has enabled the formation of two strong naval fleets in both the Mediterranean and Red Sea.
Advanced Aircraft
The Egyptian Air Force has been equipped with advanced aircraft from multiple sources according to Egypt’s strategy of diversifying the country’s weapon sources. The deals included various types of weaponry, munitions, and technical needs for the aircraft, including a number of French Rafale multi-role fighters, Russian MiG-29 fighters, CASA C-295 aircraft, several American F-16 fighters, and a number of unmanned aerial systems.
Air Defence
Egypt’s armament plans included acquiring a large number of radars of various models to ensure radar coverage of Egyptian airspace at different altitudes. Additionally, a number of missile battalions and large numbers of shoulder-fired missile units were procured to enhance the engagement capability against aerial targets at different altitudes.
It was necessary to develop military deployments in Egypt through establishing integrated military bases in various strategic directions. These bases host combat groups that include airbases and strong, capable seaports to handle various threats.
Combating Terrorism
Over the period 2011-2017, Egypt was among the top ten countries most affected by terrorism, according to the Global Terrorism Index. However, the ranking dropped to 20th place by 2024, according to the Global Terrorism Index report, of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). Egypt was ranked 142nd on the Global Peace Index in 2016, but it climbed to 105th place by 2024.
EDEX
Egypt organised the Egypt Defense Expo (EDEX) in 2018, 2021, and 2023 to exchange expertise, showcase the latest in weapon systems, and promote Egyptian military industries as well as those of participating companies and countries.
Development Projects
The Egyptian Armed Forces perform their duty of protecting the Egyptian people and securing borders and economic resources, and they have also played an active role in rebuilding the Egyptian state by implementing major national projects.
These projects aim to place Egypt on the global investment map, create job opportunities for youth, and alleviate the burden on citizens.
Some examples include the Arab Organisation for Industrialization’s announcement of the “Hafez Family” of aerial munitions during EDEX 2023 in partnership with the Egyptian Air Force, the production of the armored riot control vehicle “Qader-1” with modifications based on the needs of the Egyptian Ministry of Interior, and the production of the “Raad 200” rocket launcher by the Military Factory 200 in collaboration with three companies affiliated with the military production sector.
Additionally, the Egyptian MEKO A200 frigate was launched, built by Egyptian hands at Alexandria Shipyard with German technology. Among other domestically produced military equipment are the automated, multi-task mobile command and control center for managing combat operations, securing airspace, borders, and facilities, as well as systems for countering drones and electronic warfare.
