Tel Aviv. Egypt has accelerated the re-equipment program of its armed forces and the main supplier is Russia.

In recent years, Egypt has ordered military equipment for the army, which is undergoing rapid modernization.

Egypt, among other things, is trying to upgrade its armored force, which has so far been based on old Russian and American tanks, Russian T-90 tanks and modern Abrahams tanks.

The United States has in recent years limited the sales of US made arms to Egypt.

Egypt, has started looking for other sources for modern defense systems and started negotiations with the Russians about the purchase of several hundred T-90MS tanks as well as production licenses for T-90MS tanks in the Egyptian military industry.

The Russians, who know that Egypt has a financial problem paying billions of dollars for advanced defense systems have nevertheless responded to some of the Egyptian procurement lists, apparently after Cairo promised Moscow to let increase the Russian presence in Egypt.

These promises include allowing the Russians to use naval ports in Egyptian territory to the Mediterranean and Red Sea shores, receiving an airport on Egyptian soil Under Russian control, and a contract to build a nuclear reactor in the El Daba area in northwestern Egypt.

In recent days, the president of the Russian arms export company – Rosoboronexport – has confirmed that the contracts have been signed with Egypt for the supply of 500 T-90MS tanks and a squadron of 24 modern Sukhoi-35 aircraft.

-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist