According to AFP, on July 20, Egypt received three Rafale fighter jets from France. These are the first of a batch of 24 aircraft of the same type, worth $5.6 billion, which were agreed upon by both sides earlier this year.

Rafale fighter jet. (Source: AFP/VNA)

Reportedly, Egyptian officials received the aircraft at a base in southern France, and they will be flown back to Egypt on July 21st by specially trained Egyptian pilots.

Cairo hopes the fighter jets will bolster its military, which must contend with an unstable Libya to the west and threats from militants linked to the Islamic State (IS) on the Sinai Peninsula to the east.

(According to VN+)