Egypt receives 3 Cyclone-class patrol ships from United States

CAIRO – 23 March 2023: Egypt received earlier this week three Cyclone-class patrol ships from the United States in a ceremony that was held in Alexandria and attended by Commander of the Egyptian Naval Force Admiral Ashraf Atwa and Commander of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, Combined Maritime Forces, and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) Vice Admiral Brad Cooper.

In November, Egypt’s first German Meko A-200 frigate arrived in Alexandria after its delivery to the Egyptian Navy mid-October. The frigate is one of four, and it has been named "Al Aziz."

"Al Aziz" was built by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems at SBN shipyard, and is equipped to secure cargo ships and provide humanitarian support.

The contract was signed in 2018, and provides that that the fourth frigate would be built at Egypt's Alexandria's Shipyard. The second has been named already, as it would be called "Al Qadir."

The spokesperson of the Egyptian Armed Forces announced in December that the Egyptian Navy had assumed the command of the Combined Maritime Force 153 (CMF), whose mission is combating illegal activities, particularly terrorism and smuggling, in the Red Sea, Bab El Mendeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden.

The CMF includes the forces of the United States, neighboring states, and allied countries. The spokesperson affirmed that the CMF is one of the major joint mechanisms that would reinforce security, regional stability, and counter all types of challenges.