Egypt becomes world’s fourth-biggest weapons importer

Egypt became the world’s fourth-biggest weapons importer, spending almost US$2.3 billion, in 2015 the consulting company IHS Inc. said in its Global Defence Trade Report.

Before 2013, the country spent $1 billion or less annually, but "there’s been this ramp-up," according to Ben Moores, a senior defense analyst at IHS Aerospace, Defence & Security, who wrote the report.

IHS research indicates the higher spending is being underwritten by Egyptian allies France and Gulf Arab states, Moores added in the report published on Sunday.

Egypt's economy has struggled since the 2011 ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak. The country's net foreign reserves stood at $17.52 billion at the end of May, less than half the $36 billion it had before the 2011 uprising.

Under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Egypt has purchased weapons from both France and the United States, despite a temporary block on arms exports from the US. The French imports include Rafale fighter jets and the FREMM-class frigate.

Earlier this month, Egypt raised its flag aboard the first of two French Mistral-class helicopter carriers at a handing-over ceremony at the French port of Toulouse. France has also agreed to supply satellite communications technology to Egypt and recently signed a new arms deal worth over $1 billion.

Contributions from the United States include F-16 fighter jets and M1A1 Abrams tanks, a staple of the Egyptian miltary for several years. Egypt has also made weapons deals with Russia and Germany, part of an overall policy of diversifying the sources of military and security support.

The list of the world's five biggest arms importers in 2015 included respectively: Saudi Arabia, India, Australia, Egypt, and South Korea.