The U.S. State Department has given a green light to the sale of Apache helicopters, Hellfire missiles, tank ammunition and military equipment to Egypt.
The $1.2 billion sale, announced Tuesday, includes 10 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, a large quantity of tank ammunition, targeting systems, Hellfire missiles, night vision goggles, radar and other combat equipment.
Also included is the sale of tank ammunition — about 60,000 rounds of 120mm training and discarding-sabot armor piercing rounds — for $201 million. According to UPI, spare parts, training materials and maintenance services are included.
The 120mm round is used by the L/44 M256A1 smoothbore gun on the M1A1 and M1A2 series of Abrams main battles tanks. Egypt — which uses the Abrams in maneuvers in the Sinai Peninsula — has more than 1,000 active or stockpiled Abrams tanks, financed by U.S. military aid.
The new Apache is armored and carries a 30mm chaingun along with a variety of rockets and guided missiles. It’s the primary attack helicopter used by the Israeli Air Force and the U.S. Armed Forces.