After a 14-day journey, the Alexandria Military Port welcomes the “Mistral”
The Alexandria Military Port witnesses a gathering of units, warships, and the flight of several helicopters, to welcome the Mistral, the amphibious assault ship “Mistral Gamal Abdel Nasser,” as it enters the war pier of the Alexandria Naval Base.
The Egyptian helicopter carrier Mistral “Gamal Abdel Nasser” arrived on the shores of Alexandria this morning, Thursday, after a 14-day journey from the port of Saint-Nazaire in western France. During its journey, it participated in the Egyptian-French joint training Cleopatra 2016, and it is the latest addition to the Egyptian Navy.
The people of Alexandria can now see the Mistral from the beach as it tours the shores of Alexandria.
It is expected that the reception ceremony for the Mistral will begin on its designated pier in Alexandria at twelve noon today, in the presence of the Commander of the Navy, Rear Admiral Osama Mounir Rabie, confirming its entry into the Egyptian fleet as the newest amphibious assault ship in the Egyptian Navy, and the first helicopter carrier in the entire Arab region and Africa. It is expected to perform a display off the coast of Alexandria.
The Egyptian helicopter carrier Mistral “Gamal Abdel Nasser” participated, for the first time, during its arrival in Egypt, in the Egyptian-French joint naval training “Cleopatra 2016,” with the participation of units from the Egyptian and French navies, within the framework of supporting the distinguished relations between Egypt and France, and enhancing cooperation and the exchange of experiences between the armed forces of both countries.
The Mistral-class warship is one of the newest helicopter carriers in the world, with high leadership and control capabilities. It has an integrated operations center and is capable of carrying helicopters, tanks, vehicles, personnel, and fighters with their equipment, with a flight deck equipped to receive aircraft day and night, in addition to the latest global technology in sensors and modern communication devices.
The crew of the Egyptian helicopter carrier “Gamal Abdel Nasser” has been trained on all the tasks performed by the ship in the port of Saint-Nazaire, France, by the French Navy and the two international companies, DCNS and STX, which were responsible for building the Mistral helicopter carrier in its various stages.
