Russia Continues to Be Key Supplier

Photos posted on Russian social media website vk.com show missile canisters and vehicles being unloaded from the military quay in Alexandria, Egypt, on 6 June. The systems being unloaded represent the first deliveries of the S-300VM (Antey-2500) air defence system ordered from Russia in 2015 in an order valued at the time at approximately $1 billion.

The S-300VM (VM denoting it is the export version of the Russian system) uses both 9M82 and 9M83 missiles and is capable of engaging four targets simultaneously at up to 25,000m altitude and 200km range.

Since the US reduced its military aid to Egypt in 2013 following the military coup, Russia has stepped in as a key arms supplier. Other components of the current $3.5 billion deal include 50 MiG-29M aircraft, 46 Ka-52K and 14 Mi-8MT/Mi-17 helicopters (with AT-9 and AT-16 anti-tank missiles for the former) and a TARANTUL-class (Project 1241) fast attack craft.

Tim Mahon