Egypt’s armed forces announced on Tuesday the launch of a joint naval drill with France in the Mediterranean.
The Ramses 2019 exercise will focus on joint marine and air combat operations and seeks to bolster naval and air force crew skills.
Egyptian military spokesman Tamer al-Rifai said that forces will be trained in confronting naval security challenges in the region and secure vital targets in the Mediterranean.
The drill is part of a series of annual exercises carried out between Egypt and friendly countries, he said on his official Facebook page.
France has dispatched its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and its combat group and special marine forces to the training.
Cairo and Paris last carried out a joint naval drill, the Cleopatra-Gapian 2019 exercise, in April in French territorial waters.
