(Photo: Agencies)
CAIRO, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian and French air and naval forces concluded their joint military training within Egypt's territorial waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the Egyptian army said in a statement on Thursday.
Egyptian naval units and a number of Rafale and F-16 fighter jets and French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle took part in the joint drills dubbed "Ramses 2019," said Egyptian military spokesman Tamer al-Refai in the statement.
The training activities included protecting an important cargo ship, exchanging helicopters on the roofs of naval units, carrying out clashes between naval formations, inspecting suspected vessels and others.
The joint aero-maritime maneuvers started on Tuesday as part of military cooperation between Cairo and Paris.
"Ramses 2019 exercise comes amid relations of military cooperation between the Egyptian and the French armed forces to broaden mutual learning from the abilities of both sides and exchanging expertise in securing maritime operation theatres," said the Egyptian military spokesman.
In June and September 2016, Egypt received two French Mistral warships as per a contract between the two countries signed in October 2015.
Egypt has so far received 11 French-made Rafale fighter jets out of 24, according to a 2015 contract worth more than $6 billion.
