“Our main focus is to defend and secure the skies of Egypt.”
“We have the latest fighter aircraft and the latest generation of F16, Mirage 2000 fighters, Apache attack helicopters and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)”
“The great Egyptian people are the real cause of our victories and we are so eager to join them in their 6th of October celebration”
The attrition warfare, which took place from March 1969 until August 1970, was not just a number of military operations conducted by Egyptian commandos and reconnaissance forces; however, the EAF has played a prominent role in this war. This warfare was the most difficult period of Egyptian-Israeli conflict in the wake of the defeat of 1967. The EAF had back then to prove itself as the nation’s primary arm, which would be relied upon in the next warfare. However, the EAF did not accept the defeat, has chosen to fight and espoused the imperative need to rebuild its forces in the next round of fighting with Israel to regain the seized land. It suffices to say that Israel announced that 4 pilots and 15 aircraft have been missing and further 43 aircraft were damaged during the war.
After the end of force rebuilding and the war of attrition, the new phase of regaining the seized lands was about to start. On October 6, 1973, the war broke out and the EAF has played its role to the fullest, making a substantial contribution to the victory in the war.
The EAF has launched, at the beginning of the Glorious October War, a comprehensive air strike against Israeli forces, allowing the ground forces to cross the Suez Canal without an effective interference by the Israeli Air Force. The whole world and Israel in particular were surprised at this move and Israeli forces was completely paralyzed by the surprise attack for several days. Aerial battles took place within these days and Israel has suffered heavy losses. The EAF continued to play its heroic role in the war to support the ground forces and defend the skies of the nation, making a substantial contribution to this historic victory.
The EAF have been developing following the glorious 6th October War as a part of its keenness to highly improve its combating capability. The Egyptian Armed Forces has consistently supported the EAF with the latest modern technology. Egypt is now seeking to diversify its sources of weaponry in cooperation with the United States, China, France, Britain, Spain, Germany, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic and Russia.
Do the Egyptian Armed Forces have now air force systems that are good enough for protecting and securing the skies of Egypt? Are those systems air defensive, offensive or multi-tasking systems?
The EAF carry out its tasks, which are protecting the skies of Egypt and deterring any aggression against its airspace or territorial waters. The EAF are equipped based on various factors, including theater of operations, expected threats and the country’s economic capabilities. The equipment of the EAF includes all types of fighter aircraft, transport aircraft, attack helicopters, and public aircraft as well as air-landing force aircraft, auxiliary aircraft of the land and naval forces and search and rescue aircraft. It is safe to say that the EAF has the latest fighter aircraft and the latest generation of F16 aircraft, Mirage 2000 aircraft and Rafale fighter aircraft, as well as E-2C early warning aircraft, modern reconnaissance aircraft and equipment, Apache attack helicopters and UAVs. In addition to ground systems, which include maintenance and training systems as well as electronic warfare and reconnaissance systems. The military history of nation’s wars, most notably the 6th of October War, has shown that efficiency of aircraft depends mainly on how skilled the pilots are, not the other way around. The skies of Egypt on various strategic sites are secured and protected in close cooperation between the Armed Forces and the Air Forces.
After the French Rafale fighters have been added to the Air Force fleet, will there be any new deals in the future?
The Egyptian Armed Forces’ primary concern in the upcoming period is to develop its equipment and armament system to keep pace with the world’s latest developments in military weapons. The EAF typically sophisticates its aircraft systems so that it can fully carry out its tasks on various strategic sites. This is evident in the EAF’s fifth generation fighter aircraft deal, including French Rafale fighters. Replacing EAF’s old aircraft such as (Meg 12 – Mirage 5) with modern advanced fighter aircraft is one of our top priorities in the upcoming period. The Armed Forces’ new French Mistral class aircraft carriers named Jamal Abdul Nasser and Anwar Al-Sadat are new addition that would enable the Armed Forces to combat on different strategic sites. Having different types of fighter, early warning, and search and rescue helicopters would enhance capabilities of our armed forces in protecting its national and regional security from any threats.
In the light of celebrating the glorious victory of 6th October war, We will definitely ask about EAF’s role in the war?
The EAF has played a heroic role in the glorious October War of 1973, a role that was praised by the whole world. Our EAF has launched a number of heroic attacks, including the air strike that has thrown the enemy off balance in the beginning of the war. Our pilots continued to carry out tasks during the war untill 14 October 1973, the day when the enemy attempted to launch an air attack against our Delta air bases in order to weaken our efficiency in combat and prevent our forces from backing our ground forces. However, our fighter aircraft countered the attack in one of the biggest battles in the sky of the city of Mansoura, which was later named the air battle of Mansoura. More than 150 aircraft of both sides have engaged in the battle and our pilots showed super combat flying-skills and incredible bravery, and courage. The air battle lasted more than 50 minutes and the enemy have suffered heavy aircraft losses in one battle of the Arab-Israeli long conflict. About 18 aircraft have been dropped despite of qualitative and numerical military superiority and the remaining enemy aircraft had to flee from the battle. The enemy air forces have not attacked our beloved Egypt ever since that is why this date was chosen as the day of EAF.
What are the main activities and events of the EAF day this year?
Joining the great Egyptian people who are the real cause behind our victories in their celebrations, is of particular concern to us. The EAF’s aircraft soar over the cities of the Republic in different flying formations. It also organises various aviation events at air bases and airports located at the governorates. Those events receive Egyptian university students as well as school students. On this occasion, the EAF holds inter-generational meetings with veteran leaders to benefit from their expertise. The EAF also visits graves of the martyrs and meets their families to honour those who have sacrificed their lives for the Homeland.
With all the attention given by the Armed Forces in providing the Air Forces with the newest fighter and multi-tasking aircrafts and its advanced combat system, How do you maintain the technical competence and the technical insurance to these systems to be capable of performing their tasks accurately and with high efficiency?
The Air Forces owns a technical work system to guarantee the maintenance of the technical insurance for the equipment and aircrafts both of them the old ones and the modern ones. The Air Forces follows the maintenance of the technical competence and the technical insurance policy for the aircrafts and also performs overhaul for the aircrafts and works on its continuous developing to increase its combat capability and to provide it with modern navigation equipment and radar to emulate the newest fighter aircrafts. So, the Air forces works on developing the technical personnel through psychological, physical, martial and scientific preparation in the technicians’ development centre by using the advanced training aids and also through the theoretical and scientific training. In addition to, accessing internal and external courses to gain the needed experience to perform maintenance and overhauls in a way that makes the technical insurance system in the Air Forces a role model by the testimony of many countries. That’s due to the preservation with high efficiency of all the weapons and equipment we own that works till now, such as; (Meg 12 – Mirag 5).
Due to the subsequent events in the last period from the 25th January revolution till now, new tasks have emerged to the Air Forces and we would like you to highlight it?
Both revolutions (25 January and 30 Jun) have resulted in the emergence of new requirements and needs in order to secure the country inside and outside and also to provide stability to citizen’s daily life. The events have imposed additional tasks to the Air Forces including defeating weapons and drugs smuggling attempts in all directions across the border. The Air Forces prominent role is demonstrated through the daily operations to eliminate the terrorism in north Sinai; Rafah, Al-shaikh zowaied and Al Areesh, in order to eradicate black terrorism roots in all different strategic directions and also to destroy many terrorists central points. The Air Forces writes down briefly more from its heroic epics through its effective participation in the “right martyr” operation. The eagles have proven their superior capability to protect the country’s borders, to defeat the terrorists, and all the attempts to smuggle weapons and drugs. As well as, to fight the illegal immigration that affects the Egyptian national security by the coordination with all the Armed Forces sectors. During performing extraordinary tasks, The Air Forces was performing its original tasks in protecting Egypt’s sky all the time, under all circumstances and also in all directions, in addition to performing the daily trainings inaccordence to set plans.
What are the services that the EAF provides for children and families of the martyrs?
Loyalty and payback are EAF’s main concern in the next stage. By loyalty we mean taking care of martyrs’ children and families, especially those who sacrificed their lives in the recent period in combating the black terrorism that have struck against Egypt these days. Therefore, the EAF has developed a system dedicated to martyrs’ families to continuously contact them and provide them with assistance in all the different areas in the Armed Forces or civil sector.
The EAF also issues medical treatment cards for martyrs’ families as soon as possible, and fully follows up their health condition at its hospitals. The EAF also gives due special attention to easy and convenient issue of cards of AEF’s House and Armed forces Clubs. The EAF also nominates some of the families of martyrs to perform the Hajj and Umrah joining mission of Moral Affairs Department.
Last but not least, the EAF’s loyalty and gratitude is evident in inviting the families of martyrs to attend various events and celebrations so that they can be totally aware that the role of our martyrs will not be forgotten over time and years as they have sacrificed their lives to keep our beloved Egypt safe and pride.
Many countries seek to benefit from our EAF’s combat and training experience. What are possible ways of cooperation with brotherly and friendly air forces in joint training exercises?
Our EAF has always been greatly appreciated by the brotherly and friendly countries and this is reflected in their desire to participate in our training exercises in order to transfer expertise and develop combat skills. There are joint exercises that are carried out inside and outside the Arab Republic of Egypt with brotherly and friendly countries, including (Hamad) with Bahrain, (Ain Jlut) with Jordan, (Faisal) with Saudi Arabia, (Yarmouk) with Kuwait, (Khalifa) with the UAE, (Ramses) with the French sate and (Tahiyet Al-Saqr) with the USA.
Further Joint training exercises will be carried out in the upcoming months with the Jordan and Greece. The EAF exerts huge efforts in these exercises in order to achieve maximum benefit and to draw lessons from the experience.
Can you tell us about EAF’s prominent role in serving the civil society?
The EAF plays an important role in serving state bodies and the civil sector due to its ability to intervene and assist in emergency situations. It is always the first body to intervene rapidly in natural disasters and search the impacted and isolated areas to determine losses, evacuating the injured and wounded, and to provide first aid supplies to the affected people. It also plays a role in firefighting, controlling and protecting our shores, and territorial waters from ship pollution caused. Egypt’s current internal security situation has made the EAF to transfer money and transport student exam papers to the governorates due to difficulties of securing roads.
Moreover, air ambulance planes have carried the injured from all over the republic to hospitals in order to be treated quickly. Our air force aircraft also take part in national services of our armed forces such as agricultural spraying, search and rescue missions, air ambulance, medical evacuation and eradication of drug producing crops.
There is full coordination among the Ministry of the Interior, Drug Enforcement Administration, the EAF and the border guards.
The EFA also assists the state bodies and ministries in performing photogrammetry needed to agricultural development projects, urban planning, transport and roads. It also transports relief supplies to areas affected by natural disasters.
What would you like to say to the men of the Armed Forces and the Egyptian people on the EAF’s day?
I would like to congratulate all men of the Armed Forces with its officers and soldiers of all different ranks. I would like to praise their outstanding performance and their efforts that are made to raise your combat competence and improve your skills through continuous training.
I would also like to salute you for setting an example of sacrifice, heroism and courage. I wish you all the best and success in your duties and responsibilities in protecting the country and defending its security, sovereignty, safety and territorial integrity. I call upon you to continue your efforts for the elevation of our armed forces to follow the steps of our former men of the Armed Forces who have sacrificed their lives and blood for their homeland and have made history.
The Egytian people have to be proud of their armed forces and air forces, who have always stood by the will of the people. To ensure the country’s stability, prosperity, and to protect the great Egyptian people history and civilization, so for our precious Egypt to always remain strong and free.
