Egyptian and British naval forces carried out a joint training exercise in the Mediterranean Sea over the past few days as part of an extensive plan by Egypt to carry out military drills with friend and brotherly countries, the Egyptian Armed Forces said in a statement on Friday. In an official statement, Egypt's military spokesman Tamer El-Refaie said the exercises were launched upon the arrival of the British Royal Navy's HMS Argyll to Egypt's Alexandria, where Lieutenat-General Ahmed Khaled, the commander of the Egyptian naval forces, met with his British counterpart for the MENA region to discuss cooperation between the two countries' navies. The training included anti-terror exercises, fighting maritime security threats, securing vital targets against unconventional threats, conducting sailing formations, practicing an exchange of helicopters on board of vessels, carrying out inspections and protecting naval units as they cross dangerous areas. Naval vessels also carried out exercises with live ammunition to repel and destroy targets. “The training supports the pillars of joint cooperation between the Egyptian and British armed forces, as well as getting familiarised with the most advanced systems and maritime combat,” the statement said.
