The US has approved arms sales worth over $5.5 billion to Egypt and Morocco, aimed at bolstering their defence capabilities and strengthening strategic ties.
Egypt will receive up to 2,183 Lockheed Martin AGM-114R Hellfire missiles in a package valued at $630 million, which includes spare parts, logistics and training. It is also set to acquire 543 Advanced Precision Kill Weapons Systems (APKWS) worth $30m, complementing a prior deal for 216 APKWS.
According to America’s Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), “The proposed sale will improve Egypt’s capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing its ability to defend itself against regional malign actors and improve interoperability with systems operated by US forces and other regional security partners.”
The State Department also announced on Friday that it had cleared the sale of $4.69bn worth of equipment for 555 M1A1 Abrams tanks operated by Egypt. The DSCA stated that the proposed sale “will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally country that continues to be an important strategic partner in the Middle East.” It added that, “Egypt is the only country in the world, other than the United States, that produces the M1A1 Abrams.”
Morocco, meanwhile, has been cleared to purchase up to 500 GBU-39B Small Diameter Bombs for $86m and 30 Raytheon AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles valued at $88.4m. These systems will arm Morocco’s F-16V fighter jets, strengthening its aerial combat capabilities.
The DSCA emphasised that the sales align with US foreign policy and national security interests, “by helping to improve the security of a major non-NATO Ally that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in North Africa.”
The announcement comes amid ongoing concerns about human rights violations in Egypt, and yet it highlights Cairo’s strategic importance for Washington’s regional interests.
For Morocco, the sales are viewed as bolstering its military readiness and reinforcing its role as a stabilising force in North Africa. Both countries, designated as Major Non-NATO Allies, also have normalised relations with Israel.
(MEM)
