Egypt Requests Buk-M3 Surface-To-Air Missiles From Russia

Egypt has sent an official request from the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation for the procurement of Buk-M3 Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAM) from Russia.

The parties still need to agree on volumes, terms of performance and cost of the contract.

 “Cairo has requested Buk-M3 missiles from Moscow.  Egypt has a modification of Buk-M2E missile system and is interested in increased combat capabilities of the new Buk, demonstrated in a closed part of the forum, Army 2016,” an unnamed source in the military was quoted as saying by Izvestia Wednesday.

First Division SAM Buk-M3 has already entered service with the Russian army. The difference is a new modification increases the range of the set - up to 70 km and a height of hitting the target - up to 35 km.

Buk-M3 is equipped with a new anti-aircraft missile 9M317M capable of acting on a "fire and forget." In this case the missile is now in the transport and launch container and start vertically (as C-300), instead of the target as old model "Bukov". With the new range of radar can simultaneously track and direct missiles at 36 targets.

According to experts, Buk-M3 in its combat capabilities comparable with earlier versions of the much more complex set, S-300. The new "Buk" can protect the ground troops as the enemy attacks from tactical aircraft and missile strikes from short and medium range.

“When creating a Buk-M3 going capacity building for shelling targets flying at extremely low altitudes, such as tactical and ballistic missiles, as well as to work in conditions of intense jamming,” military expert Mikhail Khodarenok was quoted as saying by the news daily.

The new modification was a transition to new components, which led to an increase in capacity computing system.

Independent military expert Yury Ljamin said that, “The Buk-M3 is a highly mobile system designed for operation as part of army units.

Ljamin said that Egypt is currently in large-scale modernization of the armed forces to be able to fight against a powerful enemy.

After the purchase from Russia complex, Antey-2500, Buk-M3 and Thor in Egypt will complete layered defense system, Ljamin said.

Head of the program "The military balance in the Middle East" in the Tel Aviv Institute for the Study of National Security (INSS) Yiftah Shapir told "Izvestia" that currently large-scale purchases of modern weapons Egypt dictated by considerations of prestige and claims in Cairo for leadership in the Arab world.

Now the military threat to Egypt comes more from Libya and Sudan. In Libya, it is associated with terrorists, and possible conflicts with Sudan because of the waters of the Nile River.