The government of Egypt seeks to purchase advanced border surveillance equipment from the US to bolster security along its borders, the Pentagon said in a statement on Wednesday. The State Department has approved "a possible foreign military sale to Egypt" for the security system and connected equipment for an estimated cost of $100 million, the statement read. The anticipated sale, according to the Pentagon, will "contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States" by providing assistance to its key Middle East ally which Washington says is "an important force for political stability and economic progress" in the region. "The Government of Egypt has requested a possible sale for procurement and construction of commercial off-the-shelf border security mobile surveillance sensor security system," the statement said. It added that the mobile surveillance security system will bolster Egypt's "border surveillance capabilities along its border with Libya and elsewhere." Egyptian officials have voiced alarm over a spillover of violence from neighbouring Libya where militia violence has raged since the revolt that unseated long-time dictator Moamer Gaddafi in 2011. Egypt in February launched airstrikes on Islamic State in Libya after the beheadings of 20 of its nationals there. At home, Egypt is battling a deadly Islamist insurgency based in the Sinai Peninsula near its northeast border with the Israel and the Palestinian Gaza Strip. This high-tech system Cairo wants to buy will include mobile surveillance sensor towers, mobile command and control systems, personnel training, training equipment, technical and logistics support services. "This procurement is intended for the Egyptian Border Guard Forces, which currently lack any remote detection capability along unpatrolled areas of Egypt's borders." "The system would provide an early warning capability to allow for faster response times to mitigate threats to the border guards and the civilian population." The Defense Department statement did not specify who the deal's main contractor would be, saying the matter will be determined during contract negotiations, officials said. Last march, Washington resumed its annual military assistance to Cairo that was partially frozen after the ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 and a crackdown on his supporters. http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/134999.aspx
