Egyptian Navy News

The United States has transferred three U.S. Navy patrol craft to the Egyptian Navy in an effort to help boost regional maritime security.During a formal ceremony in Alexandria, Egypt on March 21, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) turned over USS Hurricane (PC 3), USS Sirocco (PC 6), and USS Thunderbolt (PC 12), three former Cyclone-class patrol coastal ships built by Bollinger Shipyards in the early 1990s.“The Egypt-U.S. maritime partnership has been a fundamental pillar of our bilateral defense cooperation for decades,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of NAVCENT, U.S.

French shipbuilder Naval Group officially opened Alexandria Naval for Maintenance and Industry, its Egyptian subsidiary which will be responsible for the maintenance of Egyptian Navy vessels built and delivered by Naval Group.Alexandria Naval strengthens Naval Group sustainable footprint in Egypt for current and future naval programs.Naval Group’s long term partnership with the Egyptian Navy and the Egyptian industry has reached a new milestone with the opening of a subsidiary dedicated to the in service support of Naval Group’s vessels and future naval programs. This success was enabled thanks to the conclusive contractual discussions…

The first warship to be built in Egypt was launched during a ceremony on September 6, 2018 in Alexandria. The Port-Said Gowind corvette was constructed by Alexandria Shipyard through an industrial cooperation with France’s Naval Group.The new warship will contribute to increase the Egyptian Navy Power alongside the first ever delivered Gowind corvette, El-fateh, which is already already deployed by the Egyptian Navy. The newest corvette is the fifth ship designed by Naval Group to be operated by the Egyptian Navy…

The guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) and the Egyptian Navy frigate El Zafer (F951) conducted a passing exercise (PASSEX), July 1. PASSEX is an exercise in which multiple ships, operating in close vicinity, practice evolutions together to improve crews' knowledge, navigation and familiarity with operability. "This was another great opportunity to work with the Egyptian Navy and continue to build, foster and solidify rapport with a maritime-military nation who shares a lot of the same interests in this area of operations," said Cmdr. John Hamilton, Dunham's commanding officer. The PASSEX commenced with Dunham and El Zafer performing divisional tactics and maneuvers. "It's good to see how they operate, and it's good for them to see how we operate," said Hamilton.

The Navy will commission the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3) during a 5 p.m. AST ceremony Thursday, August 17, at Khalifa bin Salman Port in Al Hidd, Bahrain. The future Lewis B. Puller - currently USNS Lewis B. Puller (T-ESB 3 )- is the second ship to bear the name of Lt. Gen. Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller, a distinguished combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War. Puller is the only Marine to have been awarded the Navy Cross on five separate occasions and is the most decorated individual in the history of the USMC. The first Lewis B. Puller (FFG 23), an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate, served from 1982-1998, and was then transferred to the Egyptian Navy and renamed Toushka (F.906). Vice Adm. Kevin M. Donegan, commander, U.S.

L3 Maritime Systems said it has received an $11 million contract from VSE Corporation to upgrade the Machinery Control Systems (MCS) on two minehunting ships for the Egyptian Navy. These ships were formerly U.S. Navy Osprey-class vessels, and L3 supplied the legacy control systems. L3 Maritime Systems’ MCS solutions provide advanced automation and control of the ships’ propulsion, electrical, ventilation and other systems. They will be implemented using ruggedized industrial control system equipment to enhance supportability by the Egyptian Navy. Robert Gaylord, president of L3 Maritime Systems, said, “L3 has a broad and significant installed base across the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, as well as foreign allied navy platforms.

As part of the Indian Navy’s overseas deployment (OSD) to the Mediterranean Sea and the West Coast of Africa, two Indian warships, INS Mumbai and INS Aditya, arrived at Alexandria on May 5, 2017 for a three-day visit. The warships will engage extensively with the Egyptian Navy during their stay in harbour. Apart from professional interactions, a number of sports and social engagements are also planned, which would go a long way in enhancing co-operation and understanding between these two important and capable Navies. India and Egypt are two of the world’s most ancient civilizations with a rich history of close contact. Building upon the rich and longstanding relations that have existed between India and Egypt, both nations have developed warm relations in several spheres.

In early April DCNS delivered the FREMM multi-mission frigate Auvergne to the French Navy, the fourth of the series ordered by OCCAR1 on behalf of the DGA (French armament procurement agency). Delivery of the FREMM multi-mission frigate Auvergne is the result of a design and construction process managed by DCNS in close cooperation with the French Navy, DGA and OCCAR teams. “The delivery of the FREMM Auvergne represents an opportunity to applaud the industrial and technological prowess of DCNS and its subcontractors,"said Nicolas Gaspard, director of the FREMM program at DCNS.

The Egyptian Navy has officially received its first Type-209/1400 submarine at the German city of Kiel to support the naval troops,  says the government sources. ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has formally handed over the first two of four Type 209/1400 mod diesel-electric submarines (SSK) to the Egyptian Navy. During a ceremony in Kiel city, the Commander of the Egyptian Navy Lieutenant General Osama Mounir hoisted the Egyptian flag on the submarine signalling its beginning of service at the Egyptian military forces. Mounir stated that the new submarine is a “great technological addition” to Egypt’s navy and will further its capability to bolster Egyptian national security.

French industrial group DCNS has delivered LHD (Landing Helicopter Dock) Anwar El Sadat, the second of two helicopter carriers acquired by the Arab Republic of Egypt. The flag transfer ceremony took place September 16, 2016 in the presence of the two Chiefs of Staff of the Egyptian and French navies, Admiral Rabie and Admiral Prazuck, the chairman and CEO of DCNS, Hervé Guillou, and the president of STX France, Laurent Castaing, together with senior French and Egyptian officials.

On June 28, 2016 Louisiana-based Swiftships, LLC, was awarded a $15 million firm-fixed-price (FFP) contract involving Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to procure four 28-meter KITs for the Egyptian Navy (EN). The contract will allow Swiftships to procure KITs so the EN can assemble/coproduce these 28m coastal patrol craft (CPC) in Alexandria, Egypt. The 28m CPCs will include: 4.7-meter rigid inflatable boats, forward looking infrared system, diagnostic equipment and contractor engineering technical services.

Egypt said on Friday its navy had found human remains, wreckage and the personal belongings of passengers floating in the Mediterranean, confirmation that an EgyptAir jet had plunged into the sea with 66 people on board. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi offered condolences for those on board, amounting to Egypt's official acknowledgement of their deaths, although there was still no explanation of why the Airbus had crashed. "The Egyptian navy was able to retrieve more debris from the plane, some of the passengers' belongings, human remains, and plane seats," the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement. The navy was searching an area about 290 km (180 miles) north of the port city of Alexandria, just south of where the signal from the plane was lost early on Thursday.

According to German Ambassador Julius Georg Luy, one submarine was delivered to Egypt on December 10 while two others are awaiting delivery from Germany. The ship, the S41, is the first-of-class 209/1400 vessel and took to water earlier this month during a ceremony in Kiel attended by Vice Adm. Rainer Brinkmann, Deputy Chief of Staff of the German navy, the mayor of Kiel, and Egyptian officials. The submarines are being built in the northern coastal city of Kiel, which is famed for its ship-building and last week exported the fifth of six new ThyssenKrupp vessels bound for Israel. The first two of the four submarines are thought to have been ordered in 2011, though the deal only became public in August 2012 following statements by Egyptian Rear Admiral Osama Ahmed al-Jundi.

Egypt staged a show of international support on Thursday as it inaugurated a major extension of the Suez Canal which President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hopes will power an economic turnaround in the Arab world's most populous country. The former armed forces chief, who led a military takeover two years ago but ran for president as a civilian last year, told a ceremony attended by leaders of France, Russia, Arab and African states that Egypt would defeat terrorism. The $8 billion New Suez Canal project was completed in just one year instead of three on Sisi's orders…

Taba, an Egyptian ferry, carrying passengers, cargo and trucks, sank in the Red Sea early on Sunday, according to state-owned news agency MENA. The 6,600-gt Taba (built 1985) had capsized because the trucks on board the ship were parked mainly on one side, according to Abdel-Rehim Mostafa, spokesman for the Red Sea Ports Authority. Nine people suffered minor injuries, but all 37 people on board, including 27 crew members, were saved. Mostafa added that the crew sent SOS signals to the naval base in Safaga port and rescue ships were immediately dispatched to help the stranded passengers and crew. No one was injured. The ship, which was carrying cargo as well as trucks, sank because the trucks were parked mainly on one side, which caused the ship to tilt and start sinking.

All ships calling at Egyptian Red Sea ports or transiting the Suez Canal must declare any weapons onboard to Safaga Port Authority. As per the Egyptian Maritime Security Committee ruling, such weapons must stored at the Safaga navy base. To date, weapons onboard vessels arriving at Suez port have been stored at the port under police custody. However, the Egyptian navy in Safaga have recently started random checks for weapons, which some vessels being approached by the navy and obliged to discharge weapons at Safaga. Further clarification on the procedure and tariff for weapons storage at Safaga will be provided once obtained. For information about operations in Egypt contact GAC Egypt at [email protected]

Gunmen in a fishing boat opened fire on an Egyptian naval launch which shot back, killing at least four of the attackers on Wednesday, security sources and state media said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the assault in the Mediterranean north of the port of Damietta, near the Suez Canal. The military has faced attacks from Islamist militants based in the Sinai Peninsula further east, and smugglers also operate in the area. State-run newspaper Al-Ahram reported soldiers were wounded and a number of the gunmen had been arrested. The military was not available for comment. Two militant attacks in the Sinai Peninsula last month killed 33 security personnel…

Egypt is pressing ahead with plans to develop a new wheat storage facility and expand port operations at two terminals in the Suez area as the country looks to bolster strategic food reserves and attract investment, a top port official said. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who as armed forces chief toppled Islamist President Mohamed Mursi last July following mass protests, was sworn in on Sunday and seeks to fix Egypt's economy while overcoming political divisions after a long period of turmoil and bloodshed.

VSE Corporation informs that its International Group has received several delivery orders totaling more than $13.4M to continue work performed under its Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Naval Ship Transfer and Repair (N*STAR) contract through the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) International Fleet Support Program. Egyptian Navy Fast Missile Craft (FMC) Post-Delivery Activation, Maintenance and Training
VSE will provide technical, logistic and administrative support on post-delivery activation and reactivation plans for critical systems and subsystems in support of four Fast Missile Craft (FMCs) being delivered to Egypt. VSE will provide in-country support to the Egyptian Navy under this delivery order, which has a period of performance of 13 months and a potential value of $7.6M.

Vice Adm. John Miller, U.S. Navy, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), U.S. 5th Fleet, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) , spoke to delegates attending the IQPC Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Middle East 2013 conference just after participating in the 8th International Institute For Strategic Studies (IISS) Manama Dialogue to discuss the development and implementation of regional security and provided a platform for leaders from more than 30 countries to engage in inter-governmental dialogue on sensitive regional issues.

Building patrol boats is big business, especially for foreign defense needs. U.S. yards compete on a global stage in the all-important maritime security workboat arena. Patrol boats have continued to enhance bottom lines at many U.S. vessel builders this year through sales that are usually government directed or assisted. Budget cuts are a concern, but the sector’s federal funding remains high. Patrol boats are sold to other nations under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales or FMS program, authorized by the Arms Export Control Act to provide defense items.

Attendees at the IQPC Offshore Patrol Vessels Middle East 2013 conference, which concluded on Dec. 11, agreed that that the safety and security of maritime commerce in the Arabian Gulf, Res Sea and their approaches, is an international responsibility shared by regional and international partners. The conference was chaired by Rear Admiral (R) Ahmed Al Sabab Al Teneiji, former chief of naval forces for the UAE Navy. The event focused on regional security cooperation; offshore patrol vessel design, procurement and operations; coastal surveillance; and maritime domain awareness.

Attendees at the IQPC Offshore Patrol Vessels Middle East 2013 conference agree that what happens at sea in the Arabian Gulf and the Middle East has implications that ripple, or more correctly rumble throughout the globe. Speakers and panelists underscored the importance of maritime domain awareness and security for military, commercial, legal and environmental reasons, and how they are all connected. The IQPC Offshore Patrol Vessel conference at the Jumeirah at Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi is being attended by naval, coast guard, security, and other maritime and military professionals.