The Air Defense Forces will celebrate their 51st anniversary on Wednesday, June 30.
Major General Mohamed Hegazy, Commander of the Air Defense Forces, confirmed that the development and modernization of the air defense system is continuing according to a well-thought-out and specific scientific approach to develop the combat and technical capabilities of the armed forces, enabling it to carry out the tasks assigned to them to protect and secure the Egyptian airspace.
Hegazy said, during a press conference held by the Air Defense Forces, to celebrate the 51st anniversary of the construction of the missile wall on June 30, 1970, which became a holiday for the Air Defense Forces, that the Air Defense fighters are always ready to confront any emerging threats and challenges so that the skies of Egypt will remain safe and secure.
Egypt will be forever protected in times of peace and of war, as long as these men are able to confront hostilities and defend its skies on all axes and strategic directions, he went on to say.
The Air Defense Forces are armed with a modern system of weapons, he added.
Hegazy saluted the air defense men, the protectors of the skies of Egypt and its protective shield, who are stationed in all regions and borders of the country, affirming the pledge of loyalty to Egypt and its great people by sacrificing everything precious and dear to protect the prestige and sanctity of the homeland.
He said that “after the issuance of the Republican Decree No. (199) on February 1, 1968 to establish the Air Defense Forces to represent the fourth force in our valiant armed forces, and under the pressure of the continuous aerial enemy attacks with the latest aircraft (Phantom, Skyhawk) which possessed high capabilities compared to the available air defense means that Egypt had at that time, the ‘missile wall’ was built.”
He continued: “Through realistic training in real battle conditions during the war of attrition, the Air Defense Forces managed during the first week of July 1970 to shoot down many planes (Phantom, Skyhawk) and capture many Israeli pilots, and this was the first time that a Phantom plane was shot down. It was ‘the week of the Phantom falls’, and June 30, 1970 was considered the real beginning of the restoration of dignity and the erection of the missile wall that prevented enemy aircraft from approaching our front’s sky, so the Air Defense Forces took this day as a holiday.”
With regard to the role of the Egyptian air defense in destroying ‘the myth of the long arm of Israel’ in the October 1973 war, he continued: “If we want to recount and record all events, this will require many books, and we will suffice to mention a brief thing about the role of the air defense forces in this war, in order to highlight the importance of this role.
It is necessary first to know the position of the Israeli Air Force at that time, which reached a high level of combat efficiency and advanced modern armament, as Israel armed its airmen with the latest state-of-the-art air arsenal at the time, by purchasing Mirage planes from France, and contracting to purchase Phantom and Sky hawks from the United States until the number of Israeli aircraft before 1973 reached 600 of different types.
Therefore the Egyptian Air Defense Forces had to confront these aircraft, as the Air Defense men achieved an epic through their steadfastness, challenge and heroism by completing the construction of the missile wall under the pressure of the continuous aerial enemy attacks. During five months (April to August) in 1970, anti-aircraft missile battalions were able to shoot down and destroy more than 12 Phantom, Skyhawk and Mirage aircraft, forcing Israel to accept Rogers’ Ceasefire initiative which entered into force August 8, 1970.”
He pointed out that with the continuous progression between the development of modern air hostilities and air defense systems, it was necessary for Egypt to have an integrated air defense mechanism equipped with various systems from diverse sources of armament in different countries, whether eastern or western.
With the adoption of modern techniques and complex technology the Air Defense Forces were able to build one of the most complex systems in the world, a matter which required a great effort to ensure that all systems are compatible with each other to be able to deal with hostilities, he noted.
The overall Egyptian air defense system was built to encompass reconnaissance and warning elements using radar devices of different ranges, a thing which helped to carry out detection and warning operations and provide air defense for the vital goals of the state as well as prevent the enemy forces from carrying out their hostile acts and inflicting the greatest possible damage on them, he went on to say.
He stressed that the political leadership and the General Command of the Armed Forces attach great importance to supporting the Air Defense Forces, by providing them with the latest modern systems of reconnaissance and warning, as well as developing command and control centers so that the forces can deal with all modern threats and challenges.
He praised military cooperation with many Arab and foreign countries, which is one of the pillars of development, noting that the Air Defense Forces are keen to possess the combat capabilities that enable them to perform their tasks efficiently through the upgrade and modernization of air defense systems.
Concluding his speech he said “I want to reassure the Egyptian people that the Air Defense Forces are working day and night to protect the skies of Egypt against anyone who dares to threaten it.”
Source: State Information Service Egypt