Gazette Staff CAIRO, June 19, 2018 - In order to protect the country's soil, seas and borders, navel units from Egypt and Spain have started comprehensive drills on Tuesday, which were held off Alexandria and some Red Sea governorates. The drills came within the framework of Egypt's keenness on strengthening its naval ties with Spain in order to deal with emergency situations, meet challenges and defend the homeland. These drills aim at honing the skills of the Egyptian naval troops, which will be involved in the implementation and management of fighting missions. The drills included manoeuvres in which the highly trained Egyptian and Spanish officers used various models of speedboats, frigates and rocket launchers, as well as troop carriers. During the exercise, the Egyptian officers and soldiers demonstrated their ability to protect Egyptian seas and skies during times of peace and war. A flotilla of speedboats joined the drills, which naval operations aimed at intercepting enemy vessels, as well as the provision of air support to operations. The Egyptian and Spanish commanders exhibited their ability to protect the nation's coasts against infiltration, smuggling and terrorist operations. They also showed their ability to safeguard giant ships and tankers as they entered Egypt's territorial waters whether by day or night. The naval drills also incorporated a firing exercise with live ammunition during which Egyptian and Spanish speedboats destroyed moving and stationary targets. The drills also included another challenging sea defence exercise, in which various units dealt crippling blows to a simulated group of enemy ships and submarines before entering Egyptian territorial waters. Following the exercises, all units returned safely to base.
