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The United States has approved a multi-billion dollar arms deal to Egypt that will result in the country acquiring an advanced air defense system, missiles, radar units, and other equipment.

Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, the United States is a major defense contractor to both Israel and Egypt, but it manages these relationships carefully to maintain Israel’s legally mandated Qualitative Military Edge (QME) over its neighbors. Egypt has long been a top recipient of US military aid (receiving over $1.3 billion annually since the 1979 Camp David Accords, which normalized relations between Egypt and Israel). The US has sold Egypt a lot of equipment in the past (which includes M1A1 Abrams tanks, F-16s, and various artillery platforms). However, these systems often come with restrictions. For example, Egypt has never received advanced missiles for its F-16s and has instead relied on outdated missiles, limiting its air combat capabilities compared to other countries. These limitations are intentional because they want to avoid upsetting the military balance with Israel, which continues to receive the most advanced US technologies, including F-35 stealth fighters.

What’s going on now: In a notable development, the State Department greenlit a $4.67 billion arms sale to Egypt that would supply the country with the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) and an extensive array of other equipment and support services. The proposed package, announced by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), includes 100 AMRAAM-ER missiles, 100 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAMs, 600 AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II missiles, four AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar systems, fire distribution centers, command and control systems, electro-optical/infrared sensors, and hundreds of spare parts, tools, encryption devices, and training platforms. This marks one of the largest and most comprehensive air defense upgrades ever offered to Egypt.

The Egyptian government will be responsible for funding the purchase, making it a direct commercial sale rather than part of US military financing grants. The State Department noted that this deal will strengthen Egypt’s ability to detect and respond to modern aerial threats, including aircraft, cruise missiles, and drones.

Although the deal is subject to congressional approval, it will likely not have an issue passing, as the DSCA said it would not alter the basic military balance in the region, a reference to the United States’ ongoing obligation to uphold Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME).

The deal will be fulfilled by RTX Corporation.