The U.S. Department of State has approved a potential sale of 720 Stinger missiles to Egypt, valued at $740 million, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday.
These missiles, in high demand due to their effectiveness in Ukraine against Russian air assaults, have also been sought by European nations concerned about potential threats from Russia, Reuters reported.
In Egypt, the Stinger missiles would be mounted on vehicles equipped with the Avenger launcher system, rather than being deployed as shoulder-fired weapons.
The Pentagon stated that RTX Corp will be the principal contractor for the sale. Earlier this summer, several NATO members placed a $700 million order for Stinger missiles, extending the production line backlog through 2029. Egypt’s new order will further add to this growing demand.
Egypt is undeniably a formidable force in Africa’s military landscape, recognized as the strongest on the continent according to the Global Firepower report. With a PwrIndx Score of 0.2283, Egypt holds the 15th position globally.
In terms of military expenditure, Egypt holds the third-largest defence budget in Africa at $9.4 billion, trailing behind Algeria with $21.6 billion and Morocco with $12.08 billion.
Egypt’s military spending also positions it as the 35th country globally with the highest defence budget. These figures reflect Egypt’s continued investment in strengthening its military presence both regionally and internationally.
