Russia has sold to Egypt, within the last two months, about 80 anti-aircraft missiles, as well as 80 sidewinder-type missiles usable with Soviet-made MIG-21 jet fighter planes, according to a report by Marvin Kalb, diplomatic correspondent here for the Columbia Broadcasting System.
In addition, Mr. Kalb reported–attributing his information to authoritative sources–the Soviet Union has supplied Egypt with technological assistance for the deployment of 30 to 50 ground-to-ground missiles built in Egypt. It is not known, he said, whether Soviet technicians are manning the missile sites. The 80 anti-aircraft missiles, reported Mr. Kalb, are set up in four locations–in Cairo, in Aswan, and at both the northern and southern terminals of the Suez Canal.
Mr. Kalb, who only recently took over the Washington post for CBS was, until coming here, the Moscow correspondent for the network, and is considered one of the topmost experts on Soviet affairs in this country. He added, after his brief report, that, thus far, there has been no comment from the State Department regarding the Soviet-Egyptian armament collaboration. He viewed the developments as posing “a distinct danger of upsetting the Arab-Israeli military balance.”
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