The United States will sell Boeing F-15 Eagle fighters to Egypt, General Kenneth McKenzie revealed this Tuesday (15). McKenzie is head of US Central Command, responsible for the Middle East, Central and South Asia.
“I think we have good news as we are going to supply them with the F-15, which has been a long and difficult job”, General McKenzie told US senators during a Congressional Armed Services Committee hearing.
“They thought it was too long, it took too long,” stated the General. McKenzie did not give details about the version of the aircraft, nor when or how many aircraft will be transferred to the country. According to the portal Aviation Week, the US will export the F-15EX Eagle II, a more modern version of the air superiority fighter.
Egypt had been trying to acquire the F-15 for decades, but Washington limited the country to the F-16 due to the troubled relations between the countries, in addition to the strong connection that the US has with Israel. In the region, Israel, Qatar and Saudi Arabia operate the US fighter plane in different variants.
Even acquiring Mirage and Rafale fighters from , Cairo approached Russia and acquired 50 MiG-29M2 Fulcrum fighters and even bought 24 Sukhoi Su-35s even under threats of US sanctions. Nonetheless, the Sukhoi planes were never delivered.
According to Reuters, McKenzie in February emphasized “very robust” military assistance to Egypt as he flew to Cairo following a decision by President Joe Biden’s istration to cut $130 million in military aid to the country over human rights concerns.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a former army chief, has been criticized for crushing dissent since coming to power after leading the 2013 overthrow of elected president Mohamed Mursi of the now-banned Islamist party, the Muslim Brotherhood.
US officials have said the US relationship with Egypt is complex. The most populous Arab country is a vital ally and key voice in the Arab world. US military officials have long emphasized Egypt's role in expediting the age of US warships through the Suez Canal and providing overflight for US military aircraft.
