Saudi Arabia and Egypt Covet New Assault Ships

Saudi Arabia and Egypt want to buy the Mistral vessels France originally agreed to sell to Russia. Stratfor sources in the region have largely confirmed French media reports, indicating that there is at least a preliminary interest in acquiring the vessels. Despite the considerable obstacles that Riyadh and Cairo would have to surmount before they could effectively utilize Mistral-class ships, the vessels could eventually offer these Arab countries increased capability to respond to varying threats in the region.