EGYPT: NEW FRENCH AND BRITISH AIRCRAFT AND WOMEN TROOPS IN REHEARSAL OF PARADE TO MARK SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF ISRAELI WAR

Record ID: 344820

  • Title: EGYPT: NEW FRENCH AND BRITISH AIRCRAFT AND WOMEN TROOPS IN REHEARSAL OF PARADE TO MARK SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF ISRAELI WAR
  • Date: 6th October 1975
  • Summary: 1. GV PAN FROM Memorial TO troops in parade 0.19 2. SCU General Mohammed Abdul Ghani El Gamassy taking salute 0.26 3. SV Women troops in parade 0.42 4. LV Airborne division trotting past 0.56 5. CU PAN FROM El Gamassy and Chief of Staff Ali Fahmy TO other Chiefs of Staff watching parade 1.01 6. GV Helicopters fly past 1.10 7. GV Aircraft past 1.18 8. SV MiGs in fly past followed by Mirage jets (2 shots) 1.28 9. GV Amphibious tanks past 1.33 10. TGV Tanks PAN TO Parachutists in sky (3 shots) 2.03 11. GV Lorries towing field guns 2.11 12. SV Carriers with missiles 2.29 Initials BB/1830 TA/AW/BB/1855 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 21st October 1975 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
  • Country: Egypt
  • Reuters ID: LVA8TNWKT3IEQXZ7ULPJ0GGBCN3N
  • Story Text: Egypt plans to show off its new French and British aircraft at a military parade on Monday (6 October).

    President Anwar Sadat who claims the Soviet Union has been reluctant to sell his country arms during the past two years, will display his new weaponry at a parade to mark the second anniversary of the October war against Israel.

    Minister of War General Mohammed Abdul Ghani El Gamassy took the salute at a full dress rehearsal for the parade on Thursday (2 October). It included women soldiers for the first time.

    On Monday President Sadat will take the salute at the flypast of French Mirage jets and British helicopters. The west European aircraft are taking part in an Egyptian public display for the first time. It reflects the President's decision last year to diversify weapon sources.

    The bulk of the weapons on show will still be Soviet built. The Soviet Sam-7 missiles-successors of the anti-aircraft missiles which proved so successful in the last Middle East war--are expected to be the highlight of the procession. The Soviet missiles will be mounted on American jeeps for the display to make them more mobile.

    The President is also believed to be planning to ask the United States for more military equipment when he visits Washington later this month.

    SYNOPSIS: The memorial to the unknown soldier in Cairo, Egypt. On Monday a military parade will pass the memorial to mark the second anniversary of the war against Israel. Last Thursday there was a full dress rehearsal of the parade. Egypt will use it to show off its new French and British aircraft.

    For the first time female troops will be taking part in the parade.

    President Sadat says the Soviet Union has been reluctant to sell his country arms during the last two years. He will take the salute on Monday, but Minister of War General Mohammed Abdul Ghani El Gamassy and Chief of Staff Ali Fahmi took his place at the dress rehearsal.

    Egypt's new British helicopters flew Egyptian flags. President Sadat decided to diversify the countries from which he buys arms when he had difficulty buying them all from Russia. He now has French Mirage jets along with the Soviet MiGs and Sokhoy's in his airforce.

    The French and British aircraft show Egypt has already begun to look to the west for weaponry. President Sadat has recently made outspoken attacks on the Soviet Union.

    President Sadat is also believed to be planning to ask the United States for more military equipment when he visits Washington later this month. The bulk of the weapons however are still Soviet built.

    After these field guns came the highlight of the procession--the Soviet Sam-Seven missiles, successors of the anti aircraft missiles which proved so successful in the last Middle East war. The Egyptians also had one combination not likely to be seen anywhere else in the world--they mounted their Russian missiles on American jeeps to make them more mobile.
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