CAIRO – Egypt's most senior military commander has promised better training and more modern weaponry for the army in an apparent effort to satisfy officers' demands for change, which have multiplied after an uprising last year. Commander-in-Chief General Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, who is also the defense minister, was appointed by the country's first Islamist President Mohamed Morsi only last month and is under pressure to shake up a military which until recently had held the balance of power in Egypt for decades. Addressing troops last week during the first military drill in a series to mark the 39th anniversary of the 1973 war with Israel, Sisi reassured troops that change was on its way despite the fact that the drill was being conducted using old arms like the Soviet BM-21, a rocket launcher in use for 40 years. “We will devise a comprehensive program that develops real training for the forces in all military branches to maximize the performance of individual officers and soldiers during my time here,” he said, according to a live recording of his speech. Addressing troops participating in the drill, which took place along Egypt's western border with Libya, Sisi, 57, acknowledged that Egypt's military capabilities trailed those of other armies. The army would replace some of its arsenal within 3-6 months and was working to extend the range of a missile system known as “Saqr” to 45 km, he said. — Reuters
