Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — The United States has prepared for imminent delivery of attack helicopters for Egypt as the regional effort against Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) has been assigned a high priority.

Officials said the U.S. Army has overseen the loading of 10 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters for Egypt. They said the 10 helicopters, produced by Boeing, were loaded onto U.S. vessels for the trip to Egypt.
“The aircraft will be delivered soon,” Egyptian Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Yunes El Masri said.

At a news conference on Oct. 14, Masri confirmed U.S. pledges that the Apaches would soon arrive in Egypt. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who visited Cairo, said the helicopters would be delivered in November 2014.

In May 2014, the administration of President Barack Obama announced the lifting of the suspension of the delivery of the Apaches to Egypt. Since July 2013, the administration, protesting the military coup in Cairo, withheld delivery of F-16 multi-role fighers, Apache helicopters, M1A1 main battle tanks and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

El Masri said Egyptian President Abdul Fatah Sisi won a pledge from the administration for the delivery of the Apaches during his recent visit to Washington. The commander said the Apaches would be used in counter-insurgency operations, particularly in the turbulent Sinai Peninsula.

Egypt and the United States have resumed high-level defense and military cooperation. In late October, Egyptian Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Hegazi attended a Washington meeting of 21 countries for a campaign against Islamic State of Iraq and Levant.

“This confirms Egypt’s strategy to dry up the sources of terrorism,” Egyptian military spokesman Brig. Gen. Mohammed Samir said.

  AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, ISIL prompts renewed U.S.-Egypt ties; Apaches shipped to Egypt, Obama, Sisi, WorldTribune.com