Major efforts have been made over recent years to ensure that the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) is equipped with the most advanced technologies available to allow it to carry out its mission to ensure Egypt’s security and wider stability in the Middle East.
“All decisions concerning the comprehensive enhancement of the capabilities of the Armed Forces, including the Air Force, are informed by a thorough and balanced assessment of the current and potential challenges our country must contend with from all directions,” EAF Commander Air Marshal Amr Sakr explained to Al-Ahram Weekly.
Egypt has a clear-sighted and forward-looking political and military leadership that takes into account an array of factors, not least Egypt’s pivotal role in the region and the evolving repercussions of the unstable political situation in many parts of the world, Sakr said, many of which present risks to global peace, security, and economic well-being.
As a result, over recent years the EAF has acquired and upgraded its arsenal of multirole aircraft, combat and logistics helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). “These, along with other crucial equipment, have significantly increased the EAF’s operational potential and combat efficacy, enabling it to perform all the assigned tasks with efficiency and precision,” he said.
To complement these developments in its arsenal, the EAF has also upgraded and expanded the infrastructure and facilities of all its air bases, enabling them to accommodate the latest generations of multirole fighters and helicopters, which are expected to arrive soon.
Another essential facet of this modernisation drive is training, a major component of which is joint exercises. “Given the EAF’s size, strength, and regional and international standing, many friendly and brotherly nations are keen to take part in joint manoeuvres and drills held in Egypt and elsewhere. These exchanges of expertise and the maximisation of mutual benefit derived from these exercises are vital across all areas of training,” Sakr said.
Bright Star 2025 was the most recent of such exercises. Bringing together representative forces from a large number of countries to conduct a broad array of tactical drills and simulations, this edition marked a milestone in the history of this major military event co-organised by Egypt and the US.
The EAF, like other branches of the Armed Forces, also performs important emergency support and similar non-military functions. “The EAF contributes to search and rescue, air ambulance, and medevac operations,” Sakr said, adding that “we also respond swiftly to offer emergency assistance to fellow Arab nations and other friendly countries at times of natural disasters and other crises.”
The EAF is also engaged in urgent relief operations in response to the man-made disaster in Gaza. According to Sakr, it is taking part in delivering food and medicine, conducting air drops in parts of Gaza that have become inaccessible by land, and airlifting out many ill and wounded people for medical treatment.
Arish Airport has been equipped to provide logistical and technical support to hundreds of aircraft from other countries that have joined the race to deliver humanitarian relief to Gaza by air, he said.
UAVs are one of the cutting-edge fields of military technology. According to Sakr, Egypt is at the forefront in the use of drones.
“Egypt possesses numerous types of UAVs, which perform their designated tasks accurately and efficiently. It is also involved in a joint UAV manufacturing project, and some of its models were showcased at the International Airshow in Alamein last year. These drones have been remarkably successful in performing various counterterrorism and border security functions,” he said.
Sakr attributed these achievements to the EAF’s advanced training systems and to the quality of the recipients of the training. “The men and women of our Air Force have always been characterised by a flair for mastering the latest technologies and advanced weapons systems,” he said.
The airshow in Alamein was part of the first Egypt International Air and Space Exhibition held in September 2024 under the patronage of President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi, supreme commander of the Armed Forces.
This event, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Egyptian Space Agency, “reflected Egypt’s status as a leader in the aerospace industries,” Sakr said, pointing out that it was attended by delegations from 100 countries and featured exhibits by 300 entities and companies from around the world.
In view of the outstanding success of the first edition of the airshow, a second is already in the pipeline, scheduled for 7-10 September 2026. This one will be even larger and more sophisticated, with more participating countries, a larger number of companies seeking to display their products, and airshows by different countries.
“The exhibition grounds will be enlarged to accommodate more aircraft and pavilions. It will be a great event, reflecting the Egyptian leadership’s vision and ongoing pursuit of excellence,” Sakr concluded.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 16 October, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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