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Egypt takes delivery of Almaz-Antey S-300VM SAM system
Egypt has begun taking delivery of Almaz-Antey S-300VM long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems from Russia.
Photos of the SAM system’s vehicles and missile canisters being unloaded at Alexandria were posted on vk.com, a Russian social media website.
The S-300VM is an export variant of the S-300. It is equipped with 9M82M and 9M83M missiles, which provide the system with an engagement range of up to 200 km and maximum altitude of 25,000 m. The S-300VM supplanted the S-300V in Russian service in the 1990s.
Almaz-Antey claims the S-300VM can intercept intermediate-range (<2,500 km) ballistic missiles.
Egypt reportedly ordered the S-300VM in 2015 for $1 billion U.S. It was part of a $3.5 billion arms package negotiated with Russia in 2013 in the fallout of General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi-led military coup that ousted then Egyptian President Muhammad Mursi.
The package also includes 50 Mikoyan MiG-29M/M2 and Kamov Ka-52K attack helicopters.
Notes & Comments:
During the last three years, Egypt has been supplanting its legacy systems with weapons that are not only newer, but also substantially more capable. In fact, some systems – such as the Dassault Rafale and Mistral landing helicopter docks – with newly acquired offensive capabilities that were previously not in place.
These include stand-off range precision strike (via the Rafale) and robust expeditionary mobility (via the Mistral and Ka-52K). Interestingly, the S-300VM augments an already sound air defence network, one layered with short, medium and long-range (i.e. PAC-3 Patriot) SAM systems.
11 Comments
by Steve
I think the lesson is that if you are power that is politically a satellite state and/or suits the West’s strategic plan you can buy what you want without political constraints. Provided the Saudis bankroll you of course! If this was Morsi’s democratic government they would be facing sanctions by now for ‘human rights’ issues.
by ??Aaif khan
These systems are of no use, atleast not for enemy. They’ll be use to maintain royalty/dictatorship/Monarchy and to suppress the voice of Muslims around middle East.
by Khalid Riaz
With Israel flying F-35s I don’t know what would be the utility of Rafales and S300.
by MT
Israel is nt enemy of Arab States.
Rafale isn’t inferior platform to be discounted
Yea it can’t super cruise and it’s stealth capability limited to coating but it’s clean rcs is well below 0.75 far far less than 0.1 for f35 but it has better TWR than f35.
by Aman
Go sisi Go Back !!!!!!!!!!
by Red Baron
Morsi’s government was quickly abandoning democracy. Everyone knows that the Muslim Brotherhood would not allow themselves to get voted out of office once their takeover was complete.
by Red Baron
The F-35s are not all that great. Their internal carrying capacity is small and the stealth features can be defeated with the right radar. The moment you hang anything on the wing, your stealth capability is voided.
by Red Baron
Only F-22 can super cruise, not the F-35. F-35 has poor range and poor internal carrying capacity. Sure, you can hang ordinance on the wings, but there goes any stealth capability. F-35 is a political weapon system, not a good one on its own merits.
by Khalid Riaz
You are right. Arabs are their own enemies. At least that is what the recent developments in Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and Qatar indicate.
We need to also look at history again. The Palestinians kicked themselves out from their own homeland, gave up their right of return, then raised funds to help zionists to move Jews from all over the world into their former homes. When the land proved inadequate, they happily offered more land in the west bank for new settlements.
by Steve
Well that is what Sisi and Arab kingdoms and USA said to justify 1000’s dead and 10,000’s in jail. There is no evidence of that, except for a constitution that was reflecting the will of the people. When a majority party in parliment say something it is the will of the people, and unelected army men or minority secularists cannot decide unilaterally what’s good for the country. That way anyone with guns can rule and the people be damned. This is exactly what’s happening in the Arab world for the last 60 years. Same was said about Algeria and 100,000 died. Erdogan was almost killed by people who say the same. There has been 60 years of experiments in the Arab world. Why don’t you try REAL democracy not the fake one that Mubarak and Sisi practice. It may give you power and independence and not the slavery of the West.
by Steve
If anyone even thinks that Egypt with Sisi in power will ever target Israel in any way, they must be smoking something strong! Egypt, Saudi, and Israel are close allies, under the American umbrella. The whole world knows that. Just look what’s happening to Qatar, and it actually hosts a US base! You are not allowed to speak the truth even a little against this grouping of countries and autocrats, like Aljazeera tried to.