French warship arrives in Egypt: media

Cairo: A French warship bought by Egypt as part of a multi-billion-dollar defence deal arrived Friday near Alexandria, official media said, days after Cairo took delivery of a first batch of Rafale fighters.

The multi-mission frigate built by French naval group DCNS is Egypt´s latest purchase as it seeks to boost its military capability in the face of instability in neighbouring Libya and a insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula.

Egypt bought the 6,000-tonne vessel in February along with 24 Rafale fighter jets in a deal worth 5.2 billion euros ($5.7 billion).

The official MENA news agency said Defence Minister Sedki Sobhi attended a ceremony for the frigate at Ras el-Tine naval base, near Alexandria on Egypt´s Mediterranean coast.

Cairo earlier this month received the first three Rafale fighters, ahead of the August opening of an expanded shipping route at the Suez Canal. (AFP)