Bright Star 2017 consolidates Egyptian-U.S. military relations

CAIRO – 5 September 2017: Egyptian military forces and U.S. Central Command announced on Tuesday that the "Bright Star 2017" military exercise will be held at the Mohamed Naguib military base from September 10 to 20.

“The joint military exercises, which date back to 1981, are marked to show the importance of U.S. security cooperation with Egypt to fight terrorism, as well as a model for a continuous partnership between the two countries,” said U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Thomas Goldberger.

U.S. Central Command stated that Bright Star 2017 is based on strategic security relations between Egypt and the U.S., which is a historical partnership for fighting terrorism, establishing regional security and exerting efforts to eliminate extremism.
Around 200 U.S. troops are slated to take part in the military exercises, which are aimed at strengthening military cooperation with Egypt, whose role is vital in preserving the region’s security and stability.

In late July, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi inaugurated on Saturday the Mohamed Naguib military base, which is considered the biggest military base in the Middle East and Africa.

The new military base includes 1,155 vital facilities, 72 training areas, a major conference hall, a large number of shooting ranges, and residences for the officers, along with 50 solar modules and a tank-transporting container of about 451 modern tankers.