The National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or NASAMS, firing a missile. The system, jointly produced by the US and Norway, is a critical part of Ukraine’s air defense. (Photo: Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace)
WASHINGTON —The US State Department today approved the potential Foreign Military Sale of the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) to Egypt for an estimated cost of $4.67 billion, according to a notice from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
The sale includes four AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel radar systems, hundreds of missiles and dozens of guidance units, along with a slew of non-Major Defense Equipment.
“The proposed sale will improve Egypt’s capability to meet current and future threats by improving its ability to detect various air threats,” the announcement says, adding it will “support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.”
NASAMS, codeveloped by RTX and Norwegian defense firm Kongsberg, is a medium-range, air defense system designed to engage fixed or rotary wing aircraft, uncrewed aerial systems and cruise missiles.
RTX will serve as the prime contractor of the sale, and “there are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale,” according to the notice.
Egypt has historically received a large amount of Foreign Military Funding — money the US government gives to other nations in order to build up their national security capabilities — and along with Israel, was reportedly an exception to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s pause on FMF in January. In recent months, however, analysts have warned about what appeared to be Cairo’s tightening ties with Beijing especially in the wake of first-ever cooperative military drills in April.
Today’s notice from DSCA is a congressional notification and is not final. Quantities and dollar totals often shift during negotiations, and today’s announcement technically tees up an opportunity for lawmakers to block the deal within a 30-day period, though such a step is rare.
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Author: Alyssa Schonhaut
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