Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Egypt to Buy 2,000 TOW 2A Anti-Tank Missiles
IMRA ^ | 10-31-07

Posted on 10/31/2007 7:36:22 AM PDT by SJackson

Egypt - TOW IIA Anti-Armor Guided Missiles

(Source: US Defense Security Cooperation Agency; issued Oct. 30, 2007)

[With thanks to www.defense-aerospace.com ]

WASHINGTON --- On October 29, 2007 the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Egypt of TOW IIA anti-armor guided missiles as well as associated equipment and services.

The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $99 million.

The Government of Egypt has requested a possible sale of 2,000 TOW 2A Missiles, plus 28 buy-to-fly missiles, containers, test sets and support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical data, maintenance, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government (USG) and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $99 million.

This sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that has been and continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.

Egypt needs these TOW 2A missiles and launchers to augment its current inventory and provide mechanized infantry and field artillery units with an anti-armor capability. Egypt will have no difficulty absorbing these additional missiles into its armed forces since it already has TOW missiles in its inventory, which were previously procured from the United States.

The sale of this equipment and support will not affect the basic military balance in the region.

The two U.S. Government representatives already in country, who currently manage the existing TOW 2A programs, will also manage this program.

The prime contractor will be Raytheon Company, Tucson, AZ. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law; it does not mean that the sale has been concluded.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: antitank; egypt; israel
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-33 next last

1 posted on 10/31/2007 7:36:23 AM PDT by SJackson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel, WOT

..................

Wonder who Egypt is planning to use these on?

Surely not the unidentified country to the northeast the train their officers to invade, that can't be.

2 posted on 10/31/2007 7:37:56 AM PDT by SJackson (every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, none to make him afraid,)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

Can’t wait until the State Dept tries to tell us it’s for invading Sudan to free the Darfur people. Yeah, that’s the ticket.


3 posted on 10/31/2007 7:44:17 AM PDT by JerseyHighlander
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

‘There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. ‘

If I were a Abrams tank crew member, I’d have a big problem with this assumption.


4 posted on 10/31/2007 7:46:09 AM PDT by Badeye ('Ron Paul joined 88 Democrats.....")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

Lovely. Sell the Eqyptians an anti-tank missile that pierces the thin deck armor on a tank. Now who do you suppose those missiles will get used against?


5 posted on 10/31/2007 7:46:14 AM PDT by Tallguy (Climate is what you plan for, weather is what you get.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Badeye

...make that Merkava tank commander.


6 posted on 10/31/2007 7:47:21 AM PDT by Tallguy (Climate is what you plan for, weather is what you get.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SJackson
"Egypt to Buy 2,000 TOW 2A Anti-Tank Missiles"

Equipped with homing devices, I hope. We could call them "Boomerang" Missiles.
7 posted on 10/31/2007 7:48:01 AM PDT by LIConFem (Thompson 2008. Lifetime ACU Rating: 86 -- Hunter 2008 (VP) Lifetime ACU Rating: 92)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: SJackson

Who can Egypt possibly use these against besides Israel?


9 posted on 10/31/2007 7:49:50 AM PDT by montag813
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SJackson
Egypt to Buy 2,000 TOW 2A Anti-Tank Missiles

Ah, yes, the Pentagon's "Missiles for Muslims" program at work. After all, muslims need missiles, too; otherwise, they get chafed and upset and feel insulted and all.

10 posted on 10/31/2007 7:50:38 AM PDT by snarks_when_bored
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Badeye

The Egyptians have Abrams tanks.


11 posted on 10/31/2007 7:50:51 AM PDT by Hydroshock ("The Constitution should be taken like mountain whiskey -- undiluted and untaxed." - Sam Ervin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Hydroshock

Worse, the US will first give aid to Egypt to enable them to buy the missles; IOW, they will be a free gift.

And Egypt has no possible use for these; neither Sudan nor Libya has a large, competent tank force, nor anything that can’t already be dealt with by the Egyptian air force.


12 posted on 10/31/2007 7:56:53 AM PDT by CondorFlight (I)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Hydroshock

Doesn’t change my point of view on this. Egypt has been in effect under martial law since Sudat was assasinated. Mubarak is the most overrated ‘world leader’ in the Middle East. I think Egypts internal politics are just as unstable as Pakistan’s, we’ve just grown used to living with it.


13 posted on 10/31/2007 7:56:57 AM PDT by Badeye ('Ron Paul joined 88 Democrats.....")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Hydroshock

Which is equipped with an radio frequency kill switch if they ever use them to oppose us or are allies...no doubt...


14 posted on 10/31/2007 7:57:45 AM PDT by in hoc signo vinces ("Houston, TX...a waiting quagmire for jihadis.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

they need these to fend off beduins with camels


15 posted on 10/31/2007 8:16:35 AM PDT by ari-freedom (I am for traditional moral values, a strong national defense, and free markets.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CondorFlight
And Egypt has no possible use for these; neither Sudan nor Libya has a large, competent tank force, nor anything that can’t already be dealt with by the Egyptian air force.

They can be used against Israeli armor and Israeli positions. This is exactly how Hizbollah used them in July 2006
With an anti tank missile Hizbollah took out a building that killed 7 Israelis

Sometime in the future Egypt may have a close quarters war with Israel
How about if the fundamentalists get rid of Mubarak and send the anti tank missiles to Gaza?

16 posted on 10/31/2007 8:17:32 AM PDT by dennisw (Four and a half acres of sovereign U.S. territory,anytime,anywhere ---- US aircraft carrier)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: montag813

Libya

Egypt knows that if they were to attack Israel, they would get their head stopped into the ground.


17 posted on 10/31/2007 8:27:49 AM PDT by Red6 (Come and take it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: in hoc signo vinces

They were assembled in Egypt under a joint venture, I doubt it.


18 posted on 10/31/2007 8:32:45 AM PDT by Hydroshock ("The Constitution should be taken like mountain whiskey -- undiluted and untaxed." - Sam Ervin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Hydroshock

Assembled from components shipped to Egypt from the USA, no doubt...so...it’s plausible...


19 posted on 10/31/2007 8:46:15 AM PDT by in hoc signo vinces ("Houston, TX...a waiting quagmire for jihadis.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: SJackson
The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $99 million.

Where is Egypt going to get $99m? (as if we don't already know)

20 posted on 10/31/2007 8:55:39 AM PDT by ol' hoghead (He is not here; for he is risen.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-33 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson