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Egypt has a modern highly efficient navy that is capable of consolidating maritime security and stability in the region, Commander of the Egyptian Navy Vice Admiral Ahmed Khaled said Wednesday.
Khaled was speaking during a press conference held on the occasion of the 54th anniversary of the Egyptian Navy, which marks the sinking the Israeli destroyer “Eilat”, the first in history to be sunk by ship-to-ship missiles, off the coasts of Sinai Peninsula on October 21, 1967.
The date was chosen to mark the Egyptian Navy Day.
“Egypt is responsible for ensuring the security of around 114,000 nautical square miles; 74,000 square miles in the Mediterranean Sea and 40,000 square miles in the Red Sea,” the navy commander told journalists during the news briefing.
Responding to a question about Egypt’s commitment to upgrade its military capabilities and introduce the latest state-of-the-art combat and technical systems, the navy chief said that in light of the maritime security threats in the Middle East, the multiple conflicts arising from regional as well as international developments, and how they affect Egyptian and Arab national security, the political leadership has made the decision to improve the armed forces’ capabilities to meet the critical needs of future missions.
Khaled also highlighted the new challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean region, especially after recent discoveries of huge natural gas reserves in the area, and how the Egyptian navy dealt with these challenges to safeguard Egypt’s economic fortunes and preserve regional maritime security and stability.
MENA
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