Former US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla's July visit to Egypt marked another milestone in US-Egypt military partnership.

During the visit, he met with President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and senior defense officials for strategic discussions and key enhancements to defense cooperation.

Bilateral ties between the two nations trace back to formal diplomatic relations established in 1922.

Over the last century, the partnership has evolved and included Egypt's designation as a "major non-NATO ally" by the United States in 1989.

Military cooperation expanded through programs such as the M1A1 tank co-production, launched in the 1980s -- a program that strengthened Egypt's armored capabilities.

Key milestones also feature the establishment of Exercise Bright Star, the biennial joint military exercise that continues as a flagship of US-Egypt military cooperation.

Egypt has maintained its role as a major security partner, with the Suez Canal providing a critical logistics corridor during the 1991 Gulf War.

Since then, the two nations have continued intelligence sharing and regular military engagements.

The partnership has grown through joint training exercises and US security assistance programs that helped modernize Egypt's defense capabilities.

Strategic meetings

During his July 20-August 2 Middle East tour, Gen. Kurilla began with Egypt.

He met President al-Sisi to discuss regional de-escalation, deeper military and security cooperation, and approaches to ongoing crises.

Both leaders emphasized the critical importance of bilateral cooperation in addressing emerging threats and promoting regional peace and security.

Kurilla subsequently met with Lt. Gen. Ahmed Khalifa, chief of staff of Egypt's Armed Forces, who highlighted Egypt's commitment to strengthening collaboration across military domains.

Kurilla praised Egypt's essential role in regional security and reaffirmed the United States' readiness to continue coordination toward shared objectives.

These high-level engagements reaffirmed the United States as a trusted defense partner to Egypt.

Kurilla's meetings with senior Egyptian leadership reflect the bilateral military relationship, built on decades of strategic cooperation and operational integration.

This US-Egypt partnership spans exercises, equipment programs, and strategic access, providing a strong foundation for future collaboration aimed at advancing a secure, peaceful, and prosperous Middle East.

Gen. Kurilla's visit underscored this foundation and signals continued alignment on mutual security objectives.

He officially relinquished command of CENTCOM to US Navy Adm. Brad Cooper during a change of command ceremony on August 8.