The Pentagon has approved an Egyptian request to buy 26 MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket Systems) from the US company Lockheed Martin for $354 million. This will include 26 tracked launchers, 485 extended range rocket pods (with 2,850 rockets), 22 training pods with 132 training rockets, three M88A2 recovery vehicles, one training center, 30 M577A2 command post vehicles, various radios, training, and spare parts.--Stephen V Cole