Germany approves Meko 200 frigate export to Egypt

[Zarvan]

Spiegel Online, citing official documents, reported on January 2, 2019, that the German Federal Security Council has approved the export of a Meko 200 frigate to the Egyptian Navy. The frigate, produced by ThyssenKrupp, likely costs around 500 million euros, sources told the publication. Spiegel noted that Egypt may buy another frigate from the manufacturer in addition to the one it is approved for.

MEKO 200 frigate (Valour class MEKO A-200SAN of the South African Navy) (Picture source: ThyssenKrupp Marine)

Over the last few years, Egypt has considered a new surface vessel buy, looking primarily at French and German products. The Egyptian Navy operates Gowind 2500 corvettes and a FREMM frigate purchased recently from France, but has evidently favored the German Meko 200 for its new purchase.

In November 2018, La Tribune reported that a deal between Egypt and Germany for four Meko 200s -- worth up to 2 billion euros -- had been inked two months prior. The publication noted that the Egyptian government was initially looking to purchase two Meko 200s, both to be built in Germany, but later adjusted its requirement to four vessels, one to be built in Egypt.

However, the deal was frozen soon after signing, according to La Tribune, stemming from Saudi pressure. The deterioration of Saudi-German relations, particularly after Saudi Arabia's killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, reportedly led to Riyadh putting a hold on providing funding for Egypt's purchase. Even so, Handelsblatt reported later in the month in November that a deal for two frigates at one billion euros had been finalized and a contract awarded for ThyssenKrupp.

http://navyrecognition.com/index.ph...pproves-meko-200-frigate-export-to-egypt.html

 

[Jäger]

it is good that Egypt is going for the MEKO A200, will be our 2nd sale to North Africa, following Algeria. I'm just wondering if they will equip these with Harpoon AShMs or Exocets.
however we are increasing ties with Egypt in defence, just back in 2018 they put interest in the IRIS-T SLM MRSAM, Rheinmetall-Oerlikon revolver AA Guns, etc.

 

[The SC]

it is good that Egypt is going for the MEKO A200, will be our 2nd sale to North Africa, following Algeria. I'm just wondering if they will equip these with Harpoon AShMs or Exocets.
however we are increasing ties with Egypt in defence, just back in 2018 they put interest in the IRIS-T SLM MRSAM, Rheinmetall-Oerlikon revolver AA Guns, etc.

Egypt already bought the IRIS-T SLM..also 4 type 209 mod submarines with 2 already delivered..
As for the missiles, both possibilities are open options, but the French ones might be more practical, because Egypt already operates them in its new corvettes and the Fremm frigate, mostly that there is the possibility of having the Aster 30 long range air-defence system.. plus the fact that there are less restrictions than the US supplied missiles.. but the Harpoon is still an option although less likely than the Exocet blok III.. we'll see which ones when they will announce the complete specs!

 

[Philip the Arab]

Egypt already bought the IRIS-T SLM..also 4 type 209 mod submarines with 2 already delivered..
As for the missiles, both possibilities are open options, but the French ones might be more practical, because Egypt already operates them in its new corvettes and the Fremm frigate, mostly that there is the possibility of having the Aster 30 long range air-defence system.. plus the fact that there are less restrictions than the US supplied missiles.. but the Harpoon is still an option although less likely than the Exocet blok III.. we'll see which ones when they will announce the complete specs!

The Harpoon and Exocet are rather good missiles, but I would try to get a hypersonic missile like the Brahmos simply because of how hard the missile is to intercept via CIWS and the only missile able to intercept that is ship based is the Barak-8. Aster 30 are good missiles but the VLS system is rather large so I'm not sure if the Meko 200 has enough deck space but if they didn't the VL-Mica isn't a bad alternative and besides the RIM-162 ESSM is a rather formidable missile its flight ceiling is about 60000 feet compared to the Aster-30 65000 feet and its speed is mach 4 which is rougly comparable to the Aster-30 but you are right in the engagement range of 120 KM for the Aster-30 is impressive compared to the ESSM 50 KM. Do you know if Saudi Arabia financed the Meko 200 as before Germany had declined the purchase because of the block on arms trade which I disagree with.
Also the Avante 2200 has good specifications when compared to the Venezuelan one, here I was thinking they had the same specifications but I found this and the multi-role of this ship is impressive. www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2018/july-2018-navy-naval-defense-news/6352-ksa-signed-the-contract-for-5-avante-2200-corvettes-with-navantia.html

 

[The SC]

The Harpoon and Exocet are rather good missiles, but I would try to get a hypersonic missile like the Brahmos simply because of how hard the missile is to intercept via CIWS and the only missile able to intercept that is ship based is the Barak-8. Aster 30 are good missiles but the VLS system is rather large so I'm not sure if the Meko 200 has enough deck space but if they didn't the VL-Mica isn't a bad alternative and besides the RIM-162 ESSM is a rather formidable missile its flight ceiling is about 60000 feet compared to the Aster-30 65000 feet and its speed is mach 4 which is rougly comparable to the Aster-30 but you are right in the engagement range of 120 KM for the Aster-30 is impressive compared to the ESSM 50 KM. Do you know if Saudi Arabia financed the Meko 200 as before Germany had declined the purchase because of the block on arms trade which I disagree with.
Also the Avante 2200 has good specifications when compared to the Venezuelan one, here I was thinking they had the same specifications but I found this and the multi-role of this ship is impressive. www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2018/july-2018-navy-naval-defense-news/6352-ksa-signed-the-contract-for-5-avante-2200-corvettes-with-navantia.html

The Europeans and the US won't accept to integrate the Brahmos on their ships or planes, they need to sell their own missiles..

Saudi Arabia was going to finance (as collateral for $2 billion) 4 Meko A-200 ships for Egypt, but the hasty German stance in the Kashoggi case of stopping some irrelevant small ships delivery to KSA made it impossible for the latter to finance anything that benefits Germany, So Egypt is doing it alone, with almost 100% financing from Germany itself..That is why it is just one frigate..for now, since the original deal between Egypt and Germany was for 2 ships and then became 4 with the Saudi financing! and then 1 as is it now..
As for the Avante 2200, well, it is a Saudi version, the ship is almost the same but very well armed with US missiles mostly.. but the thing here is the transfer of around 60% of the ship's technology to Saudi Arabia.. this is now a Joint venture, so we'll most likely see other ships being made through it in the future..

 

[Tshering22]

it is good that Egypt is going for the MEKO A200, will be our 2nd sale to North Africa, following Algeria. I'm just wondering if they will equip these with Harpoon AShMs or Exocets.
however we are increasing ties with Egypt in defence, just back in 2018 they put interest in the IRIS-T SLM MRSAM, Rheinmetall-Oerlikon revolver AA Guns, etc.

But tell me something; I heard that you have a weird law that you block supplies to countries that are in conflict.

Isn't having weapons the whole point of being able to use them to defend oneself? I mean seriously, tomorrow if Egypt and Sudan have a war (hypothetically), would you block the sale of additional frigates? Because this is precisely the weird logic because of which your government doesn't export defence products to us.