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| Africa North |
| Egypt's air force looking to Russia after 25-yr w/ U.S. fighters |
| 2006-01-20 |
| From Geostrategy-Direct, subscription. MOSCOW — Egypt is weighing the purchase of advanced Russian-origin aircraft after 25 years of maintaining a U.S.-origin air fleet. Egypt has more than 220 F-16 multi-role fighters and has been negotiating to procure at least another 50 such platforms. Russian industry sources said Moscow has briefed the Egyptian Defense Ministry and air force on several combat aircraft. They said Russia's Rosoboronexport has offered to transfer technology and enable Egyptian coproduction of any aircraft selected by the air force of the Arab League state. "Egypt has been considered a key target in Rosoboronexport’s marketing strategy in the Middle East," an industry source said. "The size of the aircraft deal is not the issue. Any Egyptian decision to purchase Russian combat aircraft would mark a major achievement." Egypt has long considered the procurement of an advanced non-U.S. aircraft in an effort to challenge the Israeli air force, which depends on U.S. platforms. Egypt might be also using its negotiations with Russia as a lever to procure advanced aircraft and subsystems from the United States. Sources said Cairo has examined the MiG-29SMT, regarded as the most advanced model of the MiG-29. Algeria and Libya have considered the aircraft, while Yemen has purchased 16 such platforms. RSK-MiG, the manufacturer of the MiG-29SMT and two-seater UBT, has offered to transfer technology and enable coproduction of the aircraft in Egypt, the sources said. Russia would also help Egypt establish maintenance and logistics facilities for regional service of MiG fighters. In addition, the Russian manufacturer has agreed to acquire scores of obsolete MiG-21 aircraft from Egypt as part of any deal for the MiG-29SMT. The sources said RSK-MiG would allow Egypt to defray some of the cost of the MiG-29 with the surplus MiG-21s. Egypt has also been considering a partnership with several Arab allies to purchase the MiG-29SMT. Under the proposal, Egypt would join Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in a major aircraft program. Another option is for Egypt to join Gulf Cooperation Council states in procuring the MiG-AT jet trainer, the sources said. Under the proposal, MiG-AT, developed by EADS and RSK-MiG, would be coproduced in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. So they want MiGs because they want to fight the Israelis eventually with the rest of the Arabs. It just goes to show that they have a death wish, and that they rather spend their treasure on weapons when they do not really have the economy to support it. Or a sugar daddy like SA will support them. You cannot buy friends by giving them $2 billion annually. |
| Posted by:Alaska Paul |
| #9 TW I wouldn't be terribly worried about the Egyptians acquiring expensive and temperamental equipment of the sort that needs ongoing maintenance by highly trained technicians. But of course I'm generalizing from unrelated data. Actually TB, I've worked with both US and Soviet military equipment. The american has a much higher peak performance, but requires a lot more TLC. The soviet works---no matter what. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-01-20 23:00 |
| #8 MIG 21's - hhhhhhhmmmmmmmm, sounds like the Russians intend to either rebuild or resell. The planes they've been promo the last few years are the heavier types, not good for the Hi-Lo Mix. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-01-20 21:54 |
| #7 Sounds like somebody wants a raise in their allowance. NO. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-01-20 17:12 |
| #6 If you were a pilot, would you want to fly a plane manufactured in Egypt from sophisticated Russian blueprints? I say let's do Israel a favor and encourage the Egyptians to go forward with this plan. |
| Posted by: WhitecollarRedneck 2006-01-20 12:24 |
| #5 Simple solution. If they do the alternate air frames its a good time to cut the Camp David mandated fleecing of US-AID every fiscal year. NO MORE CAMP DAVID PEACE TREATY SHAKEDOWN PAYMENTS! |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-01-20 11:41 |
| #4 My former employer built and still provides technical support for two facilities outside Cairo. The secret is to a) establish and maintain a long-term relationship with the powers that be, b) select an Egyptian 'representative' who is on good terms with the government and the power structure, and c) ensure that he is compensated extremely well. You might still get screwed, but it won't be any worse than any Egyptian would get in the course of doing business. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2006-01-20 11:10 |
| #3 Mr. Wife told stories in the latter part of the 1980s about walking past soldiers on guard duty in Cairo, whose sandals and weapons both were held together by duct tape. His first factory start-up there took considerably longer than planned, because the local staff didn't realize that it isn't enough just to list the chemicals needed; someone has to actually place the order with the supplier and arrange for payment (!!!) And then the equipment kept breaking down because nobody did the maintenance necessary to keep desert rats from crawling into the lines and dieing there, and their little mummified bodies blocked the flow until something broke upstream, requiring the whole system be broken down and examined until the problem was found. I wouldn't be terribly worried about the Egyptians acquiring expensive and temperamental equipment of the sort that needs ongoing maintenance by highly trained technicians. But of course I'm generalizing from unrelated data. ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-01-20 08:31 |
| #2 Another of Carter's legacies. Cut Egypt loose and let the Arabs and Russians support them. BTW, think the Egyptians found the remote off switch on their F-16s? |
| Posted by: ed 2006-01-20 08:19 |
| #1 Don't do it, Egypt! Half-kiloton groundburst Aswan Dam. Whoosh! |
| Posted by: Rory B. Bellows 2006-01-20 02:03 |