Report: Egypt to purchase four warships from France

Egypt is about to acquire four Gowind-class corvettes from France in a $1.38 billion (€1 billion) deal, French newspaper La Tribune said on Thursday.

According to La Tribune, the deal between Egypt‘s navy and the French Naval Defense Company DCNS consists of four small warships that weigh 2,400 tonnes each.

They are equipped with surface-to-air VL Mica and sea-skimming Exocet missiles, according to Egyptian daily al-Ahram.

The French company won the bid against Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and the Dutch Damen Group.

La Tribune also said the Egyptian Air Forces purchased nine transport aircraft from France-based Airbus Group.