{"id":37164,"date":"2020-11-30T19:20:42","date_gmt":"2020-11-30T19:20:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/11\/30\/why-is-egypt-intensifying-its-military-drills\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:58:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:58:08","slug":"why-is-egypt-intensifying-its-military-drills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/training-sim\/2020\/11\/30\/why-is-egypt-intensifying-its-military-drills\/","title":{"rendered":"Why is Egypt intensifying its military drills?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">BEIRUT \u2014 After a busy November full of military drills, not least of which took place at sea, Egypt is continuing its training efforts into December and throughout 2021, sending a message about its global reach and capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe increased number of drills shows that the Egyptian armed forces has the capabilities to conduct all these exercises at the same time,\u201d according to Ahmad Eliba, a defense expert at the Egyptian Center for Strategic Studies. The exercises also show off Egypt\u2019s strategic deterrence capabilities and weapons systems, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Egypt intensified its military drills in November, but the country has been regularly participating in training events for some time now. In July 2019, it carried out the Eagle Salute maneuvers with the navies of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. In September 2019, it participated in the Red Wave drill with the Royal Saudi Navy and the forces of some other countries bordering the Red Sea. And earlier this year, it was joined by the Royal Saudi Navy for the maritime exercise Morgan-16. Egypt is expected to join these three events during their 2021 versions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In November 2020, the Egyptian Army carried out a joint ground and air exercise dubbed Saif Al-Arab with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan and Sudan. It also carried out the joint air training exercise Nile Eagles-1 with Sudan.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/air\/2020\/10\/28\/how-is-the-egyptian-air-force-able-to-operate-its-fleet-of-mixed-origin\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"188\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/main.jpg_a72a5e.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">How is the Egyptian Air Force able to operate its fleet of mixed origin?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">It\u2019s rare to witness an air force flying fighter jets and helicopters of different origins, but Egypt operates aircraft from Russia, China, the United States and European nations.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also in November, Egypt and Russia launched their Bridge of Friendship-3 exercise in the Black Sea. Egypt also teamed up with the United Kingdom for the joint T-1 exercise in the Mediterranean Sea as well as joint naval training in the Northern Mediterranean with France. Meanwhile, it joined Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Sudan and Bahrain for a naval drill dubbed Sword of Arabs at the Muhammad Naguib Military Base in northwest Egypt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI see the primary significance of Egypt\u2019s recent naval drills as political, and secondarily as commercial, not military,\u201d Yezid Sayigh, a senior fellow at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, told Defense News. \u201cIn the first case, they reflect the effort by the Sissi administration to broaden and diversify its foreign strategic relationships, partly to demonstrate that it is not wholly dependent on the U.S., but especially at this time to deepen ties with countries with which it shares hostility or at least suspicion, [like in the case] of Turkey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSecond, by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/global\/europe\/2020\/06\/22\/a-naval-arms-race-is-gaining-speed-in-the-mediterranean-sea\/\" target=_blank>raising its naval profile in the Eastern Mediterranean<\/a> and Red Sea, Egypt is signaling an ability and determination to protect offshore gas fields and future pipelines to Europe that it hopes to build with other Eastern [Mediterranean] gas producers. It is also building military infrastructure such as the Berenice naval base in the Red Sea so as to demonstrate its ability to protect maritime shipping routes through the Suez Canal, in the hope of encouraging more global shipping to come through the canal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In late October, Egypt joined Cyprus and Greece in denouncing Turkey\u2019s energy exploration in the Mediterranean Sea. And during a recent tripartite summit held in the Cypriot capital Nicosia involving Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and his Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades, along with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Egyptian president underlined the need to enhance the trilateral relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Toward that end, a military exercise dubbed Medusa is set to take place Nov. 30-Dec. 6 that involves the three countries\u2019 armed forces. The exercise will involve naval, air and special forces, and France and the UAE are also expected to participate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Responding to threats<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think that these maneuvers are the most important in terms of the possibility of a coalition emerging from them, a clear alliance in this region,\u201d<b> <\/b>Eliba said, \u201cbut it is strategically concerned with a specific goal: to deal with the security arrangements in the Eastern Mediterranean.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEarlier drills concentrated on unifying military concepts and joint cooperation, but 2020 drills are more advanced in terms of training programs with more interactive exercises to counter threats and risks,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To keep up with regional threats, the Egyptian military began to \u201cdevelop and raise the comprehensive combat competence of its various branches, weapons and departments,\u201d according to Mohamed al-Kenany, a military affairs researcher and defense analyst at the Cairo-based Arab Forum for Analyzing Iranian Policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis included intensifying joint exercises with allied countries to enhance military cooperation and exchange experiences; achieving operational compatibility in any tasks and operations that may take place with partners against any of the common threats; [and] following the latest innovations in weapons systems, combat methods, training, concepts of modern warfare, and dealing with identical and asymmetric threats,\u201d al-Kenany explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said Egypt benefits from participating in a number of drills in a single month because it accelerates its war fighters\u2019 understanding of and assimilation with new combat platforms that have been ordered or recently entered service. The exercises also provide experience with the concept of a \u201cSmart Army,\u201d in which quality is more important than quantity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe British Navy began to implement this technique through \u2018Littoral Response Group-Experimentation,\u2019 [or] LRG-X, a task group conducting [operations] for three months at the Mediterranean Sea to test the concepts of [a] future commando force and the littoral strike group \u2014 the same group that participated in the T-1 amphibious training with the Egyptian Navy,\u201d al-Kenany said. \u201cThis could help create a perception of an advanced marine corps born in the Egyptian naval special forces units, or the application of completely new tactics and methods in special missions and amphibious landing missions, and methods of attacking and storming coastal targets that include the use of advanced technologies represented in the marine, air and land platforms [as well as] unmanned, network-centric communications and modern live-imaging systems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Beyond training<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Al-Kenany also noted that the Egyptian Navy is working on a three-part development plan: training, construction and armament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The construction piece consists of establishing new and efficient naval bases, further developing existing bases, and strengthening the infrastructure of all naval facilities to accommodate new naval vessels, advanced training methods and simulators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The armament aspect includes ordering surface combat ships and submarines. This effort has so far produced contracts for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Two Mistral helicopter carriers.<\/li><li>Four Gowind 2500 corvettes.<\/li><li>An Aquitaine-class FREMM frigate from France.<\/li><li>Two Bergamini-class FREMM frigates <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/global\/europe\/2020\/02\/18\/italy-in-talks-to-sell-frigates-to-egypt\/\" target=_blank>from Italy<\/a>.<\/li><li>Four MEKO A-200 frigates, four Type-209\/1400mod submarines, and 10 patrol and coastal protection boats from Germany.<\/li><li>Ambassador MK III missile boat and coastal patrol boats made by Swiftship in the United States.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition, al-Kenany noted that Egypt is working on technology transfer to the Alexandria shipyard, which participated in the Gowind 2500 contract, three of which were built locally. The shipyard will also host the construction of the MEKO A-200 frigate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd current talks are underway with the German L\u00fcrssen Shipbuilding Company to transfer shipbuilding technology to Egypt,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5454\" height=\"3636\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-539519914.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-78635\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-539519914.jpg.jpg 5454w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-539519914.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-539519914.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-539519914.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-539519914.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-539519914.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 5454px) 100vw, 5454px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Egyptian Gamal Abdl &#8220;Nasser&#8221; (formally named &#8220;Vladivostok&#8221;) Mistral-class ship leaves the harbor of Saint-Nazaire, western France, on June 12, 2016. It was the first of two Mistral-class ships sold by France to Egypt. (Jean-Sebastien Ebrard\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Egypt\u2019s existing and forthcoming defensive systems will likely be used to protect offshore rigs and patrol the country\u2019s maritime economic zone using ships that can defend themselves, in contrast to lighter coast guard vessels, Sayigh said. \u201cThis is presumably also the purpose of acquiring submarines,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Furthermore, increasing the number of drills and diversifying them in terms of location to partner countries not only benefits Egypt but also its Middle East allies. If Egypt is needed in a naval confrontation between Iran and its neighbors, the Egyptian Navy will not hesitate to assist its allies against Tehran, according to al-Kenany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDealing with the Iranian maritime threat requires the presence of a large naval force with a high-fire density,\u201d he said, adding that even if Iran does not have heavy and modern naval units, its Revolutionary Guard still poses a threat to corvettes, frigates, destroyers and other large warships, thanks to fast and lightweight boats equipped with missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMedium-range and anti-ship torpedoes as well as the unmanned suicide boats \u2014 also the midget submarine, which also pose a great danger from the depths \u2014 these pieces, despite their small sizes, [are dangerous because of their] huge numbers and [because] the radar, thermal and acoustic signature [is] very low, which makes it difficult to detect [them] early and at sufficient and safe distances,\u201d al-Kenany explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition, Iran\u2019s coastal and land-based missile platforms pose a danger to warships because of their range, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is the reason lying behind the need for a large naval force with high-fire density, and of course integrated monitoring, early warning, [and] command-and-control capabilities with enhanced air cover to deal with these asymmetric threats in the best way.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After a busy November full of military drills, not least of which took place at sea, Egypt is continuing training into December and throughout 2021, sending a message about its global reach and capabilities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":78630,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":26,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[160,11,47,36,26,164],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3436],"class_list":["post-37164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-global","category-mideast-africa","category-newsletters","category-training-sim","category-training-simulation-report"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"FFBI3A6KFJBGBEIKA3ECMIM6ZY","arc_canonical_url":"\/training-sim\/2020\/11\/30\/why-is-egypt-intensifying-its-military-drills\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented 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