Special to WorldTribune.com

ABU DHABI — Egypt has participated in its first Gulf Cooperation Council exercise.

Officials said Egypt has contributed personnel and equipment for the so-called Basic Connectivity Exercise. The exercise began on April 27 in Bahrain.

“The exercise takes place within the framework of training plans for the Royal Air Force of Bahrain, which includes joint air combat exercises meant to bolster regional security,” the official Bahrain News Agency said.

This marked the first Egyptian participation in a GCC exercise, which began in 1988. Jordan has been a regular participant in Basic Connectivity as well as other GCC maneuvers.

Basic Connectivity, led by the Royal Air Force of Bahrain, was said to contain 12 countries, including Britain, Pakistan, Turkey and the United States. Officials said the exercise was meant to increase communications skills and interoperability within the GCC air forces as well as allied militaries.

Officials said Egypt, with the largest army, has long sought to become a major partner in GCC security. They said Saudi Arabia, the member with the largest military, invited Cairo to become active in Gulf defense in wake of the military coup against President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013.

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