CAIRO, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Joint forces from Egypt and France started on Tuesday military exercise, the Egyptian army said in a statement.
The joint naval and air maneuvers, "Ramses 2019," will last for several days in Egypt, the army said.
French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, as well as Rafale combat jets, will take part in the maneuvers, the statement added.
A number of Egyptian frigates and modern rocket launchers, as well as F-16 warplanes, will take part in the drill.
The joint military exercise reflects the enhanced military partnership and cooperation between Cairo and Paris, it added.
According to Mamdouh Hamed, a military expert with Sadat Military Academy, the joint military drills aimed at unifying the battling experiences and the exchange of training on the administration of the naval and air fighting among different forces.
"The joint military drill promotes the military cooperation based on the new war techniques and the modern method of battling," Hamed said.
He added that the exercises are important to focus on our future plans and see what we need to enhance our military capabilities.
Military ties between Egypt and France have enhanced recently.
In May, Egyptian and French naval forces carried out on Tuesday a maritime training exercise in the Mediterranean Sea.
In October 2015, the two countries signed a contract worth 1 billion U.S. dollars on the purchase of two French Mistral warships, which were delivered to Egypt in June and September 2016.
Egypt has so far received 11 French-made Rafale fighter jets out of 24, according to a 2015 contract worth more than six billion dollars.
