US Approves Sale of Modernization Kits for Egypt’s Fast Missile Craft

The US State Department has approved an estimated $625-million sale of modernization kits and services for Egypt’s fast missile craft.

Cairo has requested four Component Based Total Ship System – 21st Century (COMBATSS-21) combat management systems for its four fast missile craft, known as the Ambassador MK III or Ezzat class vessels.

Component Based Total Ship System

The COMBATSS-21 system provides real-time situational awareness and threat analysis for naval platforms.

Built from the Aegis Common Source Library, it shares the same pedigree as Aegis Baseline 9, the combat system used on Aegis cruisers and destroyers.

Its open architecture allows for integration of new sensors, weapons, and capability upgrades to counter evolving threats.

Additional Sale Components

Cairo’s request also included air and surface surveillance radars, chaff decoy systems, infrared sensor systems, electronic warfare systems, and navigation data distribution systems.

“The proposed sale will improve Egypt’s capability to meet current and future threats by increasing the tactical and operational capabilities of the Egyptian Navy to support strategic maritime security objectives,” the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated.

Lockheed Martin and L3Harris are the principal contractors for the sale.

Egypt’s Fast Missile Craft

The missile craft were originally developed through the US foreign military sales program and delivered in 2013 and 2014.

Built by VT Halter Marine in Pascagoula, Mississippi, with design assistance from Lockheed Martin, the vessels are equipped with eight RGM-84 Harpoon surface-to-surface missiles.

For close-in defense, they are outfitted with a 21-cell RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile launcher and a Mk 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System Block 1B.