Gamal Abdel Nasser navy ship leaves for Egypt

The “Nasser”, the first of the two crafts sold by France to Egypt after the cancellation of a contract with Russia, on Sunday left the port of Saint-Nazaire to join Alexandria, its home port in Egypt.

The transfer of the first-ever French Mistral helicopter carrier to Egypt was inaugurated in a celebration at the port of Toulouse in France on Thursday.

The 199 meter-long ship, can carry about 700 people, landing craft, tanks, sixty vehicles and can reach 18 knots cruising speed, approximately 33km / h.

It left the port under tight security and decorated with an Egyptian flag.

Egypt had acquired the two military ships after a 1.2 billion Euro contract with Russia was cancelled in August.

The Mistral warship has been named Gamal Abdel Nasser after Egypt’s second president (1954-1970).

According to AFP, delivery of a second helicopter carrier, which officials insist must bear the name of former Egyptian President Anwar El-Sadat, is scheduled for September.

The contract for the two Mistral carriers, which was finalized in September last year, was valued at 950 million Euros.

The Mistral sale is one of many defence agreements with France, which is Egypt’s largest arms supplier.

AFP