Russia Offers Advanced Helicopters And Air Defense Systems To Egypt

The Russian delegates visit to Egypt has marked a revival of large-scale military cooperation with the recent offering made by Russia to sell modern helicopters and air defence systems in a deal worth US$2 billion.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed that military collaboration was discussed in talks between Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Egyptian counterpart General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi but gave no further details.

However a senior official with Russia's arms export agency Rosoboronexport who will lead its delegation at the upcoming Dubai air show, confirmed Russia wanted to sell military hardware to Egypt.

"Now we are offering Egypt modern helicopters, air defence equipment and the modernisation of previously purchased military equipment," a senior official was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

Russian daily Vedomosti said negotiations were ongoing about the sale of MiG-29M/M2 fighter jets, low range air defence systems and Kornet anti-tank rockets.

Citing Russian defence sources, Vedomosti said the deals were worth more than US$2 billion and could be financed by Saudi Arabia, which was instrumental in the removal of Morsi.

The Soviet Union was the main supplier of arms to Egypt in the 1960s and early 1970s but cooperation declined after the peace treaty with Israel when Cairo began to enjoy generous US aid.