It will be an exceptional day in Egypt's modern history when the country inaugurates its first mega-project, the first major building block since the 30 June Revolution. With today's opening of the New Suez Canal, the first component of the Suez Canal Development Corridor, the army will be unveiling an achievement on which it has worked day and night and in close cooperation with civilians. Combat units are expected to take part in the inaugural ceremony, during which the army will display some of the new military hardware intended to contribute to the protection of the international waterway. These components of Egypt's modern defence system hail from the US, Russia and France, reflecting the country's arms diversification strategy. The Rafale: The three Rafale jets that Egypt has received from France will be leading the display of air force aircraft. The government has contracted for a total of 24 of these aircraft to be added to the country's fleet, and, manufactured by Dassault Aviation, the 9,500 kg Rafale can fly up to a speed of nearly 2,000 km per hour. Following a prototype in 1986, the aircraft went into production in several variants. The 15-metre twin-engine aircraft is capable of a range of over 3,700 km with three drop tanks.
The “Tahya Misr” FFG-1001 Multipurpose Frigate: Also of French origin, this FREMM Aquitaine class frigate, nicknamed “Tahya Misr” (Long Live Egypt), will take part in the military display and represent the vanguard of Egypt's naval forces. Part of the same package as the Rafale aircraft, the frigate went into production in 2007 and entered service in the French navy in 2012. The 143-metre, 6,000 ton vessel is capable of a speed of 27 knots (50 km/h). Built to carry a 108-member crew, the FREMM class frigate has anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and anti-ship capabilities. It is equipped with a helicopter landing pad, land-to-air and naval cruise missiles, 19 torpedoes and four machine guns. With its various weapons, the frigate can handle targets up to 20 km away, as well as aerial targets flying as low as two metres above sea level. It has assault capacity against coastal land targets at distances of up to 180 km away.
The F-16 Falcon: The star of fighter planes in the region, the US-made F-16 that will take part in the inaugural celebrations was manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation (now Lockheed Martin). Originally produced for the US air force, the fighter was exported to other countries after demonstrating the extraordinary manoeuvrability that made it one of the most important military aircraft in the last quarter of the 20th century. A lightweight fighter plane, it evolved into an all-weather multirole aircraft that can serve as a highly accurate assault plane. The F-16 is a single-engine, supersonic tactical fighter aircraft that is capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional weapons. Its refuelling capacity during flight enhances its manoeuvrability during battle. The aircraft has proven its versatility many times and has demonstrated its capacity for aerial combat and ground invasions. The S-300 missile system: The S-300 missile system, obtained from Russia earlier this year, will also be on display during the inaugural ceremony. Manufactured by the Almaz military research and development firm, the system is intended to serve as the main defensive weapon in the Canal security operations under the supervision of the Egyptian air force. The S-300 is a series of Russian-made, long-range surface-to-air missile systems that have won international esteem as one of the most potent air-defence systems available and are equipped with radar capable of tracking 100 targets and engaging with 12 targets simultaneously. Although initially developed for the Russian air force, the S-300 has acquired a high reputation in international markets. The National Defence Council met last week to discuss details of the inaugural celebrations. According to military spokesman Mohamed Samir, participants at the meeting, chaired by President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi in his capacity as supreme commander of the Armed Forces, reviewed arrangements relating to the organisation and security of the historic event. He added that the Armed Forces had completed measures intended to assist Interior Ministry security agencies in safeguarding the area where the ceremonies are to take place and securing the safety of the international delegations and personalities who are keen to share with Egyptians the joy they feel on this momentous occasion. The Armed Forces have tightened security to the east of the canal, while the second field army has created a tight security cordon around the new Canal Zone, which has also seen the deployment of specially trained and equipped combat teams. Numerous roadblocks and mobile patrols have been deployed along major roads and junctions to the east and west of both the new and old canals, and the police have been collaborating closely in order to prevent criminal elements from infiltrating the area. At the same time, combat patrols from the third field army have tightened security along the course of the canal, while readiness has been heightened at all fixed and mobile checkpoints in central and southern Sinai. Military and security forces have been combing mountain trails and desert areas in order to forestall criminal infiltrations. Commander of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defence and Military Production Sidki Sobhi has ordered highly trained combat teams drawn from the best fighters in the third field army, paratrooper and commando units, and rapid deployment forces to be equipped and deployed in order to bolster security operations. The teams have received intensive instruction on the nature of their tasks and the most appropriate ways of responding to potential incidents that could hamper the course of the ceremonies. They have been sent to the planned deployment areas, where they will serve as reserves to support the Armed Forces and police. Members of the air force and navy and border guards will also be taking part in the security operations in various patrol, surveillance and aerial photography activities. Military police will secure the flow of visiting delegations to and from the areas where the inaugural activities will be staged. The air force has been closely monitoring all the arrangements involved in the celebrations and has ensured that all administrative or logistical support staff members fully understand their assigned duties and functions. Arrangements have been made for medical emergency, assistance or evacuation operations, using aerial ambulances if necessary, while medical staff at the Armed Forces hospitals in the Suez Canal area have been put on standby to deal with any medical emergency that could arise. Live images of the celebrations area and its vicinity will be transmitted to the main operations centre by surveillance aircraft and mobile surveillance units on the ground. The Armed Forces have taken a comprehensive range of precautions on the land, sea and air to prevent or intercept any possible attempt at infiltration, while the civil police are coordinating closely in order to safeguard the facilities and prevent any attempts to ruin the joy the Egyptian people feel on this historic celebration.
