US delivers 2 missile ships to Egypt for security support

Cairo: The US Embassy in Cairo says America has delivered two vessels, known as fast missile craft, to Egypt's navy to help it secure vital waterways such as the Suez Canal and Red Sea.

The statement on the embassy website today says the ships were delivered last week in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, doubling Egypt's current number of such vessels. The two previous vessels were also provided by the United States.

The embassy's senior defense official, Maj Gen Charles Hooper, says the delivery is a sign of America's ongoing commitment to Egypt and the two countries' shared security interests in the region.

The embassy says the total of four ships represent USD 1.1 billion investment by the United States in its strategic partnership with Egypt.