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U.S. provides Egyptian navy with fast missile craft worth $1.1 bln - embassy
An Egyptian airforce helicopter flies over naval vessels carrying out a search and recovery operation at the site of a plane crash off the coast of the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Shiekh January 4, 2004. REUTERS/Aladin Abdel Naby
CAIRO, Jun 22 (Aswat Masriya) - The United States delivered two fast naval vessels to Egypt's Alexandria port last week "in support of Egypt’s security and the Egyptian people," the U.S. embassy in Cairo announced on Monday.
The two vessels, which were delivered on June 17, represent a $1.1 billion "investment" by the U.S. in "the bilateral strategic partnership," the embassy said in a statement. It added that the craft would counter Egypt's "maritime surface threats" and "provide freedom of navigation".
U.S. Embassy Senior Defense Official in Cairo Major General Charles Hooper said in the statement that the craft "directly supports maritime and regional security, which includes protecting vital waterways such as the Suez Canal and the Red Sea."
"This delivery is a sign of America's ongoing commitment to Egypt and to our shared security interests in Egypt and the region," Hooper said.
The two vessels are scheduled to be integrated in the Egyptian naval fleet in the coming weeks.
The delivery doubles Egypt’s fleet of Fast Missile Craft from two to four, the statement read.
Egyptian authorities could not be immediately reached for comment.
