CAIRO, June 2 (Aswat Masriya) - Egyptian defense minister Sedki Subhi received on Thursday the French aircraft carrier, Mistral, which is set for use by Egyptian maritime forces.

The French defense minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, took part in a military ceremony along with Egyptian naval forces leader Osama Rabie in Toulouse to celebrate the delivery of the aircraft carrier.

The carrier is named after the late Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser. 

Egypt is expected to receive more aircraft carriers before the end of the year, to be named after late president Anwar Sadat. 

Last October, Egypt signed a deal with France worth EUR 950 million to buy two Mistral helicopter carriers.

Parant said that the delivery of the helicopter carriers will take place between July and September.

Last January, Egypt received three Rafale fighter jets from France as part of a EUR 5.2 billion deal sealed in Feb. 2015 whereby Egypt bought 24 jets from the French aircraft manufacturer.

Egypt and France have signed about 30 agreements during the French president's visit to Egypt in April.

The French President Francois Hollande's visit to Egypt came at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, while a delegation of French businessmen will accompanied Hollande during his visit to Egypt.