Will Egypt go ahead in the Russian Sukhoi aircraft deal despite Washington's warnings?
Egypt signed an agreement with Russia earlier this year with a value of two billion dollars aimed at buying about 20 Sukhoi-35 combat aircraft, but this apparently angered the United States..
US officials have waved the possibility of sanctions on Egypt in the event of insisting on completing the purchase of Russian aircraft.
Clark Cooper, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Political and Military Affairs, had made statements recently, in which he said that the United States may impose sanctions on Egypt and deprive it of future military sales "if it bought Russian warplanes".
The United States can impose sanctions under a law known as "fighting American opponents through sanctions", known as the "Katsa" law, which was approved by the US Senate on August 2, 2017 and President Donald Trump was signed by President Donald Trump, a law that mainly targets sales.Russian military.
But Egyptian officials say that Cairo has the right to choose weapons according to what is appropriate for its own agenda.Some officials in Egypt also emphasize that Cairo follows the policy of "diversifying the sources of arms" that it gets in order to meet its security needs.
تخطى مواضيع قد تهمك وواصل القراءةمواضيع قد تهمكTopics that may interest you end
Kamal Amer, head of the Defense and National Security Committee in the Egyptian Parliament, told the BBC Radio: "Egypt is proud of its regional and global role and it deals with all countries of the world within the framework of balanced relations and within the framework of the peer, not dependency, and also within the framework of common interests.".
Amer added that Egypt always chooses its weapon according to its characteristics, and that "it achieves the high ability and combat efficiency of its forces according to the tasks assigned to it.".
تخطى البودكاست وواصل القراءةالبودكاستمراهقتي (Morahakaty)Teenage taps, from the presentation of a dignity as a vehicle and prepared by Mays Baqi.
Episodes
Podcast End
Egyptian military experts believe that Russian Sukhoi-35 aircraft are the best alternative to F-15 aircraft that the United States sells to Israel in the Middle East region.
Military expert Safwat Al-Zayat said in statements to the BBC that among the high advantages enjoyed by the Sukhoi-35, its ability to "a load of ammunition up to eight tons, in addition to that its total range exceeds 2200 miles, as well as a radar known as the negative electronic survey.".
The Egyptian army uses the large number of American F-16 aircraft, and Cairo gets annual military aid from Washington worth 1.3 billion dollars.
Some observers say that Washington may threaten Cairo to reduce the value of this military aid if it insists on completing the Russian aircraft deal..
The Egyptian army arsenal also includes a large number of American weapons that have accumulated for decades since the signing of the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel under American auspices in 1979.
Egyptian analysts and media say that Cairo is moving according to its higher interests in order to achieve its sovereignty and its right to obtain the weapon that achieves its goals..