Military of Egypt
Encyclopedia
The Egyptian
Armed Forces are the largest in Africa
, and the Arab World
, and is the tenth largest in the world, consisting of the Egyptian Army
, Egyptian Navy, Egyptian Air Force
and Egyptian Air Defense Command
.
In addition, Egypt maintains large paramilitary forces. The Central Security Forces
, and the Border Guard Forces are under Ministry of the Interior control. The National Guard
, comes under the control of the Ministry of Defence.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the senior uniformed officer, is Field Marshal
Mohamed Hussein Tantawi and the Chief of Staff is Lt. Gen. Sami Hafez Anan
.
The Armed Forces' inventory includes equipment from different countries around the world . Equipment from the Soviet Union
is being progressively replaced by more modern U.S., French, and British equipment, a significant portion of which is built under license in Egypt, such as the M1 Abrams
tank
.
To bolster stability and moderation in the region, Egypt has provided military assistance and training to a number of other Africa
n and Arab
states. Although not a NATO member, Egypt remains a strong military and strategic partner and is a participant in NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue
forum. The Egyptian military is one of the strongest in the region, and gives Egypt regional military supremacy rivaled only by Israel
, besides being the strongest in Africa. Egypt is one of the few countries in the Middle East
, and the only Arab state, with a reconnaissance satellite and has launched another one in 2007.
The Armed Forces enjoy considerable power and independence within the Egyptian state. They are also influential in business, engaging in road and housing construction, consumer goods, resort management, and vast tracts of real estate. Much military information is not made publicly available, including budget information, the names of the general officers and the military’s size (which is considered a state secret). According to journalist Joshua Hammer, "as much as 40% of the Egyptian economy" is controlled by the Egyptian military.
Senior members of the military can convene for the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces
, so during the course of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, when Mubarak resigned and transferred power to this body on February 11, 2011.
, France
, Brazil
, the United Kingdom
, the Soviet Union
, and the People's Republic of China
. Equipment from the Soviet Union is being progressively replaced by more modern U.S., French, and British equipment, a significant portion of which is built under license in Egypt, such as the M1A1 Abrams
tank
which makes Egypt the owner of the second largest number of latest generation main battle tanks in the region after Israel, and the second after Syria in case of the older generations.
Conscripts for the army and other service branches without a university degree serve three years as enlisted soldiers. Conscripts with a General Secondary School Degree serve two years as enlisted personnel. Conscripts with a university degree serve one year as enlisted personnel or three years as a reserve officer. Officers for the army are trained at the Egyptian Military Academy
.
The Egyptian Air Force or EAF is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces. Currently, the backbone of the EAF is the F-16. The EAF (planes and pilot training) is considered to be the strongest in Africa and one of the strongest in the Middle East. The Mirage 2000 is the other modern interceptor used by the EAF. The Egyptian Air Force has 216 F-16s (plus 20 on order) making it the 4th largest operator of the F-16 in the World. It has about 579 combat aircraft and 149 armed helicopters as it continues to fly extensively upgraded MiG-21s, F-7 Skybolts, F-4 Phantoms, Dassault Mirage Vs, and the C-130 Hercules
among other planes. The Air Force is undergoing massive modernization. Mikoyan
confirmed that talks with Egypt are underway for the sale of 40 Mig-29SMT jet-fighters with a possible additional batch of 60-80 planes.
Its commander is Lieutenant General
Abd El Aziz Seif-Eldeen
.
The Egyptian Navy is known to be the strongest in the African continent, and the largest in the Middle East in spite of the rapid growth of other countries' navies within the region.
Some fleet units are stationed in the Red Sea
, but the bulk of the force remains in the Mediterranean. Navy headquarters and the main operational and training base are located at Ras el Tin near Alexandria.
The current commander is Vice Admiral
Mohab Mamish
.
The Navy also controls the Egyptian Coast Guard
. The Coast Guard is responsible for the onshore protection of public installations near the coast and the patrol of coastal waters to prevent smuggling. it has an inventory consisting of about thirty five large patrol craft (each between twenty and thirty meters in length) and twenty smaller Bertram-class coastal patrol craft built in the United States.
See list of naval ships of Egypt for a list of vessels in service.
supervises nine military factories which are producing civilian goods as well as military products. Initially the owners of AOI were Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, before both countries gave back to Egypt their shares in 1993, valued at $1.8 billion. AOI now is entirely owned by the government of Egypt. AOI has about 19,000 employees out of which are 1250 engineers. AOI fully owns 10 factories and shares in 2 joint ventures, beside the Arab Institute for Advanced Technology
forces .Two agencies, the Central Security Forces
and Border Guard Forces, are under the control of the Ministry of Interior
. The Ministry of Defence controls the National Guard
, which is mainly for ceremonials and parades, but also for the defence of the Presidential institution and the Capital.
.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
Armed Forces are the largest in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and the Arab World
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
, and is the tenth largest in the world, consisting of the Egyptian Army
Egyptian Army
The Egyptian Army is the largest service branch within the Egyptian Armed Forces and holds power in the current Egyptian government. It is estimated to number around 379,000, in addition to 479,000 reservists for a total of 858,000 strong. The modern army was created in the 1820s, and during the...
, Egyptian Navy, Egyptian Air Force
Egyptian Air Force
The Egyptian Air Force, or EAF , is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces. The EAF is headed by an Air Marshal . Currently, the commander of the Egyptian Air Force is Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed...
and Egyptian Air Defense Command
Egyptian Air Defense Command
The Egyptian Air Defense Command or EADC , is Egypt's military command responsible for air defense, part of the Military of Egypt. Egypt patterned its Air Defense Force after the Soviet Air Defence Forces, which integrated all its air defense capabilities – antiaircraft guns, rocket and...
.
In addition, Egypt maintains large paramilitary forces. The Central Security Forces
Central Security Forces
The 350,000 strong Central Security Forces CSF organization is an Egyptian Paramilitary force which is responsible for assisting the Egyptian National Police for the security of governmental fixed sites, foreign embassies & missions, riots & crowds control, publicly crowded events, high risk...
, and the Border Guard Forces are under Ministry of the Interior control. The National Guard
National Guard (Egypt)
The Egyptian National Guard was originally created to be Gamal Abdel Nasser's bodyguard and was known as the National Guard, being mainly a paramilitary force under the command of the Ministry of Defense...
, comes under the control of the Ministry of Defence.
Overview
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the senior uniformed officer, is Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
Mohamed Hussein Tantawi and the Chief of Staff is Lt. Gen. Sami Hafez Anan
Sami Hafez Anan
General Sami Hafez Anan or Enan is the Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces. From 1990 to 1992 he was the Egyptain Defence Attaché to Morocco. More recently he served as the Commander of the Egyptian Air Defence Forces from 2001 to 2005...
.
The Armed Forces' inventory includes equipment from different countries around the world . Equipment from the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
is being progressively replaced by more modern U.S., French, and British equipment, a significant portion of which is built under license in Egypt, such as the M1 Abrams
M1 Abrams
The M1 Abrams is a third-generation main battle tank produced in the United States. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972. The M1 is a well armed, heavily armored, and highly mobile tank designed for...
tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
.
To bolster stability and moderation in the region, Egypt has provided military assistance and training to a number of other Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n and Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
states. Although not a NATO member, Egypt remains a strong military and strategic partner and is a participant in NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue
Mediterranean Dialogue
The Mediterranean Dialogue, first launched in 1994, is a forum of cooperation between NATO and seven countries of the Mediterranean. Its stated aim is "to create good relations and better mutual understanding and confidence throughout the region, promoting regional security and stability and...
forum. The Egyptian military is one of the strongest in the region, and gives Egypt regional military supremacy rivaled only by Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, besides being the strongest in Africa. Egypt is one of the few countries in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, and the only Arab state, with a reconnaissance satellite and has launched another one in 2007.
The Armed Forces enjoy considerable power and independence within the Egyptian state. They are also influential in business, engaging in road and housing construction, consumer goods, resort management, and vast tracts of real estate. Much military information is not made publicly available, including budget information, the names of the general officers and the military’s size (which is considered a state secret). According to journalist Joshua Hammer, "as much as 40% of the Egyptian economy" is controlled by the Egyptian military.
Senior members of the military can convene for the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces
Supreme Council of the Armed Forces
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces consists of a body of 20 senior officers in the Egyptian military. As a consequence of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, the Council took the power to govern Egypt from its departing President Hosni Mubarak on February 11, 2011.The junta meets regularly, as...
, so during the course of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, when Mubarak resigned and transferred power to this body on February 11, 2011.
Army
The inventory of the Egyptian armed forces includes equipment from the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, and the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. Equipment from the Soviet Union is being progressively replaced by more modern U.S., French, and British equipment, a significant portion of which is built under license in Egypt, such as the M1A1 Abrams
M1 Abrams
The M1 Abrams is a third-generation main battle tank produced in the United States. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972. The M1 is a well armed, heavily armored, and highly mobile tank designed for...
tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
which makes Egypt the owner of the second largest number of latest generation main battle tanks in the region after Israel, and the second after Syria in case of the older generations.
Conscripts for the army and other service branches without a university degree serve three years as enlisted soldiers. Conscripts with a General Secondary School Degree serve two years as enlisted personnel. Conscripts with a university degree serve one year as enlisted personnel or three years as a reserve officer. Officers for the army are trained at the Egyptian Military Academy
Egyptian Military Academy
The Egyptian Military Academy is the oldest and most prominent military academy in Egypt and North Africa. Traditionally, graduates of the Military Academy are commissioned as officers in the Egyptian Army...
.
Air Force
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
among other planes. The Air Force is undergoing massive modernization. Mikoyan
Mikoyan
Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG , or RSK MiG, is a Russian joint stock company. Formerly Mikoyan-and-Gurevich Design Bureau , then simply Mikoyan, it is a military aircraft design bureau, primarily designing fighter aircraft...
confirmed that talks with Egypt are underway for the sale of 40 Mig-29SMT jet-fighters with a possible additional batch of 60-80 planes.
Air Defense Command
The Egyptian Air Defense Command or ADF (Quwwat El Diffaa El Gawwi in Arabic) is Egypt's military command responsible for air defense. Egypt patterned its Air Defense Force (ADF) after the Soviet Anti-Air Defenses, which integrated all its air defense capabilities – antiaircraft guns, rocket and missile units, interceptor planes, and radar and warning installations.Its commander is Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Abd El Aziz Seif-Eldeen
Abd El Aziz Seif-Eldeen
Abd El Aziz Seif-Eldeen is a Lieutenant General of the Egyptian Armed Forces.-Biography:He joined military college in 1968, and graduated two years later. Seif-Eldeen advanced to the position of commander of the Egyptian Air Defence Forces in 2005...
.
Navy
Although the Egyptian Navy is the smallest branch of the military, it is large by Middle Eastern standards.The Egyptian Navy is known to be the strongest in the African continent, and the largest in the Middle East in spite of the rapid growth of other countries' navies within the region.
Some fleet units are stationed in the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
, but the bulk of the force remains in the Mediterranean. Navy headquarters and the main operational and training base are located at Ras el Tin near Alexandria.
The current commander is Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Mohab Mamish
Mohab Mamish
Vice Admiral Mohab Mamish is the Commander in Chief of the Egyptian Navy.-Biography:Mohab Mamish was born on August 6th, 1948. He graduated from the Egyptian Naval Academy in 1971. He received a fellowship from the Nasser Military Academy...
.
The Navy also controls the Egyptian Coast Guard
Egyptian Coast Guard
Egyptian Coast Guard, part of the Egyptian Navy, is responsible for the onshore protection of public installations near the coast and the patrol of coastal waters to prevent smuggling. Currently consists of one hundred five ships and craft...
. The Coast Guard is responsible for the onshore protection of public installations near the coast and the patrol of coastal waters to prevent smuggling. it has an inventory consisting of about thirty five large patrol craft (each between twenty and thirty meters in length) and twenty smaller Bertram-class coastal patrol craft built in the United States.
See list of naval ships of Egypt for a list of vessels in service.
Military agencies
- Arab Organization for IndustrializationArab Organization for IndustrializationThe Arab Organization for Industrialization is an Egypt-based Arab military organisation established in 1975 by Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to supervise the collective development of the Arab defence industry. Following a gradual deterioration in relations between the...
supervises nine military factories which are producing civilian goods as well as military products. Initially the owners of AOI were Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, before both countries gave back to Egypt their shares in 1993, valued at $1.8 billion. AOI now is entirely owned by the government of Egypt. AOI has about 19,000 employees out of which are 1250 engineers. AOI fully owns 10 factories and shares in 2 joint ventures, beside the Arab Institute for Advanced Technology
Government paramilitary agencies
Government paramilitaryParamilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
forces .Two agencies, the Central Security Forces
Central Security Forces
The 350,000 strong Central Security Forces CSF organization is an Egyptian Paramilitary force which is responsible for assisting the Egyptian National Police for the security of governmental fixed sites, foreign embassies & missions, riots & crowds control, publicly crowded events, high risk...
and Border Guard Forces, are under the control of the Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Interior (Egypt)
The Ministry of Interior of Egypt is part of the Cabinet of Egypt. It is responsible for law enforcement in Egypt. The current minister is Mansour el-Essawy, appointed 5 March 2011....
. The Ministry of Defence controls the National Guard
National Guard (Egypt)
The Egyptian National Guard was originally created to be Gamal Abdel Nasser's bodyguard and was known as the National Guard, being mainly a paramilitary force under the command of the Ministry of Defense...
, which is mainly for ceremonials and parades, but also for the defence of the Presidential institution and the Capital.
Military schools
There is an undergraduate military school for each branch of the Egyptian Military establishment, and they include:- Commanders & Staff Commanders College
- Reserve Officers College
- Nasser Academy for Military ScienceNasser Military AcademyNasser Military Academy or Nasser Higher Military Academy is a higher military academy inaugurated in March 1965 after a republican decree was issued....
- The Egyptian Military Academy
- The Egyptian Naval Academy
- The Egyptian Air Academy
- The Egyptian Air Defense Academy
- The Egyptian Military Technical College
Foreign military assistance
The United States of America provides annual military assistance to Egypt which amounted to US$1.3 billion in 2009 (inflation adjusted US$ billion in ). This level is second only to IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
See also
- Flags of the Egyptian Armed ForcesFlags of the Egyptian Armed ForcesThe several branches of the Egyptian Armed Forces are represented by flags, among other emblems and insignia. Within each branch, various flags fly on various occasions, and on various ships, bases, camps and military academies....
- Egyptian Military IndustryEgyptian Military IndustryThe Military industry of Egypt is the most important in the Arab world. State-owned enterprises, under control of the Armament Authority headed by a major general, are the main domestic producers of Egypt's defense systems. The Armament Authority was responsible for selecting, developing, and...
- Arab Organization for IndustrializationArab Organization for IndustrializationThe Arab Organization for Industrialization is an Egypt-based Arab military organisation established in 1975 by Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to supervise the collective development of the Arab defence industry. Following a gradual deterioration in relations between the...
Further reading
- Kenneth M. Pollack, Arabs at War: Military Effectiveness 1948-91, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln and London, 2002, and Pollack's book reviewed in International Security, Vol. 28, No.2.
External links
- Egyptian Armed Forces
- CIA World Factbook
- FAS
- GlobalSecurity
- Department of State, Academics see the military in decline, but retaining strong influence, 23 September 2009 (US Embassy Cables, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 2011) - Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, February 10, 2011 - Egypt's military leadership, Aljazeera English, February 11, 2011