Egypt receives 1st Type 209/1400 submarine from Germany
Xinhua, April 19, 2017 Adjust font size:
Egypt received on Wednesday the first of four high-tech German-made military submarines, state-run Ahram online reported.
Egypt's navy raised the national flag aboard the Type 209/1400 submarine constructed by German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, according to Ahram.
Upon its arrival in Alexandria, the Egyptian naval forces celebrated the country's latest arms addition intended to protect regional waters and bolster national security.
The two countries first celebrated its handover in Germany in December, 2016.
On its journey to Alexandria, the submarine sailed from the German city of Kiel at the end of March and passed through several waterways including Kiel Canal, the Elbe River and the Strait of Gibraltar before reaching Alexandria's Ras El-Tin naval base, Ahram reported.
The submarine has a range of 11,000 nautical miles and a top speed of 21.5 knots. It is equipped to launch missiles and torpedoes.
The Egyptian navy undertook exercises using the submarine on Tuesday, ensuring its readiness to join the fleet.
In recent years, the most populous Arab country signed influential multibillion-dollar arms deals with a number of European countries to boost its military capabilities amid regional turmoil and conflicts, especially in Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Yemen. Endit