US-Egypt Arms Deal Exceeds $5 Billion: A Comprehensive Overview
The U.S. Department of Defense announced on Friday that the U.S. State Department has approved a potential arms sale to Egypt worth over five billion dollars. This deal is a significant move in the ongoing military cooperation between the two nations.
Details of the Deal
The major component of this agreement is the refurbishment and upgrade of M1A1 Abrams tanks, estimated at $4.69 billion. This task will be executed by General Dynamics Land Systems. Additionally, the deal includes the sale of 2,183 Hellfire missiles valued at $630 million, and $30 million in precision-guided munitions.
Historical Context
This arms deal is part of a series of military agreements between the United States and Egypt in recent years. In January 2022, Washington approved a military equipment sale to Cairo worth $2.56 billion, which included giant transport aircraft and air defense radar systems. Later in May of the same year, the U.S. announced another deal for the sale of CH-47F Chinook helicopters to Egypt for $2.6 billion.
Global Arms Import Status
Egypt ranks as the sixth largest weapons importer globally from 2018 to 2022, accounting for 4.5% of the world’s total arms imports during that period, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
