Egypt Set to Sharpen Its Sting

The Egyptian Government is seeking to bolster its defences with the help of RTX via the potential acquisition of 720 more Stinger missiles.

The potential deal, worth an estimated $740 million, has been approved by the U.S. State Department and was announced via a press statement on the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) website last week. It includes related elements of logistics and program support.

The statement noted: "This proposed sale will support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic growth in the Middle East."

The FIM-92 Stinger is a shoulder-mounted Man-Portable Air-Defence System (MANPADS). The InfraRed (IR) homing missile used by the system can lock on and be fired from a head-on position; it accelerates to Mach 2.5 and can hit targets up to 12,500 feet in the air.

The first versions of the Stinger missile entered service in the early 1980s and the weapon is now used by 30 countries across the globe. Other variants can also be fired from vehicles and helicopters; the U.S. Navy also uses Stingers for close-range defence.

The most modern missiles use UltraViolet (UV) as well as IR targeting, making them less vulnerable to countermeasures.

• You can read more details about the sale on the DSCA website