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Upgrade and development
Beginning 1982, the EAF began receiving advanced F-16 fighters under the Peace
Victor Program. In 1986, it received Mirage 2000 fighters. Egypt also license
built Alphajets, Gazelles and Embraer EMB 312 Tucano airplanes.
The Camp David Accords caused a change in the composition of the EAF. The EAF
began to rely on American, French and even some Chinese planes. The addition of
these planes along with the ones already in the EAF gave it an interesting
composition.
In 1987 the E-2C Hawkeye Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) entered
service and was upgraded with advanced AN/APS-145 radars. The EAF upgraded its
F-16 fighters to enable them to to be armed with AIM-7 Sparrow AAM and AGM-84
Harpoon anti-ship missiles and GBU TV stand off guided bombs.
During the early 1990s, all Mig-23, Su-7/20, Tu-16 and Il-28 were retired from
service. More recently, the EAF added AH-64 Apache helicopters, and K-8
trainers.
EAF today
Currently, the backbone of the EAF are 220 F-16s (with an additional 24 F-16C
Block 52 on order under Peace Vector IV), making Egypt the 4th largest F-16
operator in the world. The Mirage 2000 is the other modern interceptor used by
the EAF. It continues to fly MiG-21s, F-7 Skybolts, 32 upgraded F-4 Phantoms,
Dassault Mirage Vs, C-130 Hercules plus the remnant of a large inventory of
older Chinese and Russian fighters among other planes. These are well supported
by 6 E-2C Hawkeye AWACS aircraft which are being upgraded to the new and highly
advanced Hawkeye 2000 standard. The Egyptian Air Force is currently undergoing a
modernization that has made Egypt a significant air power, on a par with Western
European counterparts. It has recently ordered ex-US Air Force F-15C's equipped
with "smart" bombs (pending approval from the US Congress).
Insignia
The Roundel of the EAF consists of three circles, with the outside one being
red, the middle one white, and the inner one being black. These are the colors
of Pan-Arabism. The fins of aircraft carry the flag of Egypt.
Aircraft inventory
Aircraft Origin Type Versions In service Notes
Aero L-39 Czech Republic Adv. trainer L-39ZO 10 ex-Libyan
Aero L-59 Super Albatros Czech Republic Adv. trainer
Ground attack L-59E 48
Aérospatiale Gazelle Egypt
Naval Patrol
Battlefield Scout
Anti-tank Total
SA 342K
SA 342L
SA342M 84
6
44
34 license built by Arab British Helicopter, out of 108 originally delivered and
licensed built
Antonov An-74 Ukraine Tact. transport An-74T-200 3 additional 6 on order with a
total of 18 required
Antonov An-24 Ukraine Maritime patrol An-24 3
Beechcraft 1900 United States ELINT 1900C 9
Bell AH-1 Cobra United States Gunship AH-1W 5 Option for 13 more from US
Surplus, pending approval of the FMS (Foreign Military Sale) program
Boeing AH-64 Apache United States
Attack helicopter
Attack helicopter Total
AH-64A
AH-64D 36
27
9 additional 6 AH-64D Lomgbow being delivered, ordered in 2004, an additional 18
AH-64D Longbow are required pending approval of the US Congress. Existing AH-64A
are being converted to D Longbow standard
Boeing CH-47 Chinook Italy
United States
Asslt. helicopter
Asslt. helicopter Total CH-47C
CH-47D 19
15
4 2 license built by Agusta, existing C models being converted to D standards
Chengdu J-7 China Interceptor F-7B 60 out of 120 delivered
Dassault Mirage 5 France
Fighter
Adv. trainer
Ground Attack
Reconnaissance Total
5E2
5SDD
5SDE
5SDR 82
16
6
54
6 Some attrition through the 80's and 90's may have reduced the inventory by
22-23 planes
Dassault Mirage 2000 France
Egypt
Adv. trainer
Multirole fighter Total
2000BM
2000EM 19
3
16 out of 20 delivered, license built by Arab OI, one lost (crashed on take off)
in a trainning sortie
Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet France
Egypt
Adv. trainer
Ground attack Total
MS1
MS2 44
30
14 license built by Arab OI
de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo Canada
Tact. transport
Nav. training Total DHC-5D
DHC-5D 9
5
4
Embraer EMB 312 Tucano Egypt Basic Trainer EMB 312 54 license built by Arab OI,
out of 134 built (80 delivered to Iraq)
Fairchild C-123 Provider United States Nav. trainning C-123F 1 For Tactical
tansport, Instructors are civilian ex-Egypt Air retired pilots
Grob G-115 Germany Primary trainer G-115E 68
Grumman E-2 Hawkeye United States AEW E-2C 6 Conversion to E-2 Hawkeye 2000
standard in progress, due to completion by end of 2008
Hiller UH-12 United States Training heli UH-12E 17
Hongdu JL-8 China
Egypt Adv. trainer K-8E 80 70 license built by Arab OI, an additional 40 are
ordered for delivery by 2010
Kaman SH-2 Seasprite United States ASW helicopter SH-2G/E 13 Electronic/Nav
Suite upgraded to Egyptian Navy requirements, 10 originally delivered, 1 lost
due to pilot error, 4 surplus added, some may be for attrition
Lockheed C-130 Hercules United States
Tact. transport
Tact. transport
EW/ELINT Total
C130H
C130H30
EC130H 26
22
2
2 including 3 C-130H purchased from the Danish Air Force in 2004, out of 30
delivered, 4 were lost at different times, one of which during the Malta
operation
Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon United States
Turkey
Multirole Fighter
Adv. trainer
Multirole Fighter
Adv. trainer Total
F-16A
F-16B
F-16C
F-16D 220
34
8
136
42 46 license built by TUSAS plus an additional 24 F-16C being ordered under
Peace Vector VI, 5 of which delivered in 2005, about 14 were lost during the 80s
and 90s, replacement received, one damaged, but fixed in the USA, awaiting re-deployement.
McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II United States Fighter Bomber F-4E 32 out of 46
delivered, 35 of which in 1979, 8 in 1988 with addtional 3 replacement for
crashed planes
Mikoyan MiG-21 Soviet Union
Fighter
Interceptor
Reconnaissance
Adv. trainer Total
MF
PFM
R
UM 62
24
25
12
1 out of over 360 delivered, some may be used for attrition
Mil Mi-6 Soviet Union Heavy lift helicopter 9 out of 20 delivered
Mil Mi-8 Soviet Union
Asslt. helicopter
Gunship
Airb. Command
Airb. Jamming
Reconnaissane
Ambulance
Artlry. Observ.
Mi-8T
Mi8TVK
Mi-8PPA
Mi-8MV
Mi-8R
Mi-8MB
Mi-8K 42
16
10
3
4
4
3
2 out of over 140 delivered
Mil Mi-17 Russia Asslt. helicopter 20
Shenyang JJ-6 China Adv. Trainer FT-6 6 out of 18 delivered, may be withdrawn
soon fror service
Westland Sea King United Kingdom ASW helicopter MK 47 6 license built, Egyptian
varient of the HAS.2 model
Westland Commando United Kingdom
Asslt. helicopter
Asslt. helicopter
EW helicopter Total
MK1
MK2
MK2E 24
5
17
2 license built
Sikorsky S-70 United States Asslt. helicopter UH-60A 4 18 additional on order
from US surplus
In addition to Air Force aircraft, a number of aircraft are directly under
government control (Presidential Fleet), including:
1 Airbus A340
4 Beechcraft King Air
1 Boeing 707
4 Boeing 737
3 Dassault Falcon 20
2 Gulfstream III
4 Gulfstream IV
1 VC-130H Hercules
2 Agusta AS-61 A-4 Sea King
2 Sikorsky S-70-21.
4 Westland Commando MK-2B
Other types which are have recently been in service include:
40 MiG-23 Multi-role Fighter, in reserve out of 48 received (2 donated to the
USA and 6 to China)
48 SU-20C Fighter Bomber, in reserve
80 SU-7B Ground Attack, retired and obsolete, out of 160 received
120 Mig-17F Fighter and Ground Attack, retired and obsolete, out of more than
440 received
19 Mikoyan MiG-19 Strike Fighter, retired and obsolete, out of more than 145
delivered
19 Tupolev Tu-16 Heavy and Long Range Bomber, retired and obsolete, out of more
32 received
40 F-6 (Chinese Mig 19) Interceptor Fighter, retired and obsolete, out of 72
received
12 Il-28 Light Bomber and Maritime Patrol/reconnaissance, retired and obsolete,
out of more than 120 received
30 An-12, Most retired and in reserve, out of more than 45 received
119 L-29, Basic Trainer, retired and obsolete out of more than 170 received
12 Mi-4, Utility transport helicopter, retired and obsolete, out of over 140
received
Future of the Egyptian Air Force
The Egypt Air Force just recently ordered the rebuilding of their AH-64A's into
the D model. CH-47D's are also on order. The Egyptian Navy recently received the
SH-2G seasprite's as replacement/addition to the Sea King and Gazelle
helicopters. The trainer fleet is being modernized by an order for 68 Grob
G-115's, and for the K-8 Karakorum. The Grob's and K-8 are still being
delivered.
Next to these orders there is still a big wish-list which will be on hold due to
budgetary constraints. Most likely the C-130's will be among the first to be
replaced in the short future.
In the late 1990's, then Air Marshal Ahmed Shafik (and the incumbent Civil
Aviation minister) expressed the ambitions of the Egyptian Air Force for the
21st century.
The EAF hopes to obtain the modern technology it needs to deter any aggression,
help its allies, and protect Egyptian national security. This technology
includes space and air reconnaissance systems; airborne command and control
aircraft; advanced next generation fighters; and air refueling and heavy
transport aircraft. Egypt is also one of many nations believed to have some
interests in buying the JF-17 (comparable with the F-16) from the Sino-Pakistani
consortium
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