Washington approves sale of missiles to North African state
The US Department of State has approved the planned sale of Stinger missiles to Egypt at an estimated cost of $740 million, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday, stating that it had submitted the necessary documents notifying Congress of the deal.
According to the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Cairo has applied for the purchase of 720 of the missiles, including 20 Product Verification Flight Test (PVFT) munitions, for vehicle-based use on existing Avenger systems.
The American multinational aerospace and defense conglomerate RTX Corporation, whose Raytheon division manufactures the missiles, will be the principal contractor, the agency said in a press release.
“This proposed sale will support US foreign policy and national security objectives by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic growth in the Middle East,” DSCA stated.
The RTX describes the Stinger missile as a lightweight, self-contained air defense system that ground troops can rapidly deploy which has proven its effectiveness in four major conflicts. According to the company, 19 nations have deployed them, and Reuters claims that Ukraine has expressed high demand for the missiles in its ongoing conflict with Russia.
In July, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced that the alliance had placed an order for Stinger anti-aircraft missiles worth nearly $700 million on behalf of several member states. An RTX spokesman told Reuters that current purchase requests will push the production lines’ backlog until 2029.
The North African country has remained a regional ally of Washington despite widespread allegations of abuses, including political repression under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government. Egypt receives over $1 billion in military aid from the US annually, while also maintaining strong ties with Moscow. It is also a leading buyer of Russian weaponry.
Two weeks ago, Washington reportedly said it had decided to disburse the full $1.3 billion in security assistance to Egypt for the first time since 2020. The State Department said it would waive conditions that had previously resulted in part of Cairo’s military aid being withheld on human rights grounds, Reuters reported, citing a spokesperson. The source said the decision had been taken due to the African nation’s role in mediating a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas to end the ongoing war in Gaza.
