Egyptian Defense Ministry appoints new Air Force head

CAIRO – 21 June 2018: The Egyptian Defense Ministry announced in a statement appointing Major General Mohamed Abbas Helmy as the new head of the Egyptian Air Force to succeed newly-appointed Civil Aviation Minister Younis al-Masry.

Helmy, 56, graduated in April, 1982, from the Egyptian Air Academy that officially trains officer candidates for the Egyptian Air Force. He was promoted to Major General in 2012, in the same year when Masry became head of the Egyptian Air Force.

Helmy earned his master's degree in military science from the Egyptian Command and Staff College.


FILE - Major General Mohamed Abbas Helmy
He was appointed as the Air Force chief-of-staff, and was honored a number of military medals, including the Medal of Distinguished Service, which is granted to those who stay in military service for 30 years, the Golden Medal of Military Duty, and Medal of Sinai Liberation.

The military medals granted to Masry also include the Medal of The Silver Anniversary of October Victory, the Medal of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Air Force, and the Medal of Long Service and Good Example.

Helmy was also granted the Medal of the Gold Anniversary of July 23, 1952, the Medal of The Twenty Fifth of January, and the Medal of June 30; the three medals mark the three significant Egyptian revolutions.

Lieutenant General Younis al-Masry, 59, former leader of the Egyptian Air Force, took the oath before President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi as the civil aviation minister on June 14, to succeed Sherif Fathy.