Egypt is waiting for Congress to give the thumbs-up to its request to purchase US rocket systems, according to a report by the Middle East Newsline (MENL).
The agency said that Congress has been informed of Bush administration plans to sell Egypt the extended range-multiple launch rocket systems, estimated to cost $354 million.
The Pentagon has awarded the contract to Lockheed Martin, said MENL, adding that the contract included 26 extended-range MLRS systems, fire-control panels and 485 rocket pods, along with E Sincgars radios, training devices and test equipment.
Officials said the Pentagon would purchase the rocket systems from Lockheed Martin. Then, the United States would sell the weapons to the Egyptian military at cost.
"The proposed sale of ER-MLRS will allow the Egyptian Army to continue developing a defensive area fire capability to counter hostile long-range artillery as well enhance its interoperability with US forces," a statement by the Defense Security and Cooperation Agency said, cited by MENL.
"Egypt needs the Sincgars radios to fulfill its strategic commitments for complete communications interoperability and standardization of equipment and to be able to communicate with its various vehicles and US forces."
Congressional approval of the MLRS deal is assured, officials said.
The MLRS has a range of 45 kilometers and is meant to destroy a range of targets, including radar installations.
Meanwhile, the US Defense Department has announced that American military ties with Egypt are strong, on the right track and need no review or changes, according to local press reports.
“I believe it is wise to hold a strong thing when a storm blows. I think we have strong ties with Egypt,” a top US Defense Department official said this week in a press conference at the Pentagon.
US Defense Department official Peter Rodman will visit Egypt in the next few days to hold talks with senior Egyptian officials.
“We have a lot of things in common. Our ties, including the military ones with Egypt, are strong,” Rodman said regarding the nature of Egyptian-US relations.
The defense official added that there were “some differences in point of view between Egypt and US over other issues,” referring to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as being among them - Albawaba.com
