A French Mistral helicopter carrier that Egypt bought last year arrived in the country Thursday after taking part in a joint naval exercise in France earlier this week, Al Bawaba News reported. Egypt signed a $1 billion deal with France last year to acquire two Mistral helicopter carriers after their sale to Russia was canceled last August. Egypt had said the second carrier will arrive in September. The warship, named after late President Gamal Abdel Nasser, arrived to a naval base in western Alexandria Thursday after taking part in the multi-day military drill "Cleopatra 2016" in France, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported. It also made a two-week pilot voyage from France's Saint-Nazaire, with 170 sailors and 50 French defence experts on board, according to Al-Ahram Arabic.