The large-scale sale may take place despite concerns that the Egyptian government is violating human rights.
The United States State Department has approved the sale of more than $5bn in arms to Egypt.
The State Department told Congress on Friday that it had approved an arms sale worth $4.69bn for 555 US-made M1A1 Abrams tanks operated by Egypt, along with $630m for Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and $30m directly. weapons of war.
In a statement released on the same day, it said the sale would support “US foreign and national security policy” by helping to improve the security of the “biggest” non-NATO player in the Middle East.
Egypt and the US have worked closely together since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, with Cairo taking part in talks to end the war.
The deal comes despite concerns in Washington over the Egyptian government's poor record on human rights under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
The rights group Amnesty estimates that Egypt currently holds around 60,000 political prisoners, including a British-Egyptian freedom fighter. Alaa Abd El-Fattahwas arrested for “spreading fake news” after sharing a Facebook post about police brutality.
Egypt in the last two years has pardoned hundreds of political prisoners. But human rights organizations have said three times that many have been arrested immediately.
A major US sponsor
US President Joe Biden took office in 2021 promising to get tough on Egypt on human rights issues, but his administration has approved several arms deals.
In 2022, his management agreed to sell to Egypt for 12 Super Hercules C-130 transport aircraft and air defense systems worth $2.5bn.
The State Department's announcement of the latest sale to Congress did not indicate that an agreement had been signed or that negotiations had ended.
The expected sale “doesn't change the situation of the military in the region,” he said, adding that developments related to Abrams tanks will take a decade to complete.
The US Congress can still ban trade, but such efforts are often unsuccessful.
Cairo has been one of the recipients of US security assistance since the 1979 peace treaty with Israel. The biggest recipient is Israel.