During a visit to Egypt, U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus met with Egyptian Minister of Defense Lt. General Sedky Sobhi and Chief of the Navy Rear Admiral Osama Rabie on November 9 in Cairo. Mabus emphasized the importance of the partnership between the United States and Egypt, stating, “The United States Navy and I value our strong partnership with Egypt, and I hope to see our cooperation increase in the future.” He further noted, “We are working closely with the Egyptian military to support its fight against terrorism, to make the region safe and stable, and to ensure the free flow of commerce. Participation in exercises between our forces, such as Exercise Bright Star, will strengthen our relationship and help build interoperability between our forces.”
The discussions also covered the delivery of two Fast Missile Craft warships to the Egyptian Navy in June. These vessels joined two others previously delivered as part of a $1.1 billion investment by the United States aimed at enhancing strategic partnerships. The ships are intended to counter maritime threats and secure global commerce.
The Fast Missile Craft is specifically designed for addressing Egypt’s maritime surface threats while ensuring freedom of navigation. Exercise Bright Star involves combined U.S.-Egypt military operations across air, ground, naval, and special operations forces. Major General Charles Hooper, Senior Defense Official at the U.S. Embassy, was present at this meeting.