Hegazy attends “Bright Star 2017”conclusion

CAIRO – 20 September 2017: Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mahmoud Hegazy and Chargé d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo Thomas H. Goldberger witnessed on Wednesday the conclusion of "Bright Star 2017".

The exercise was held at Mohamed Naguib military base in al-Hammam City, west of Alexandria on the Mediterranean Sea.

Hegazy hailed the ability and efficiency of the participants in the exercises, assuring that these exercises contributed in the exchange of experiences between the U.S. and Egyptian military forces. He also expressed his hopes that the next stage will witness more mutual cooperation.

“The return of the ‘Bright Star’ exercises at this level after a period of suspension gives a strong indication of the depth of the partnership relations between Egypt and the United States, especially in the military field,” Hegazy added.

On their part, the U.S. Central Command praised the competency of the Egyptian armed forces, stressing that facing terrorism requires more joint cooperation.

The exercises included the training of joint command centers in the presence of top brass, with conditions similar to real battles.

Tactical tasks were fulfilled to assess the ability of the participating troops in joint action and to take suitable decisions.

Around 200 U.S. troops took 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 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 for about 451 modern tankers.