The US government will resume full military aid to the Egyptian regime, which was suspended after the military coup in 2013 which saw then-head of the army Gen Abdul Fattah al-Sisi come to power.
Mr al-Sisi was informed in a phone call from President Barack Obama that F-16 fighter jets, missiles and M1A1 tank kits would be delivered.
"The president explained that these and other steps will help refine our military assistance relationship so that it is better positioned to address the shared challenges to US and Egyptian interests in an unstable region, consistent with the longstanding strategic partnership between our two countries," the White House said in a statement.
The statement said President Obama expressed his concerns about human rights abuses in Egypt.
“President Obama also reiterated U.S. concerns about Egypt’s continued imprisonment of non-violent activists and mass trials. He encouraged increased respect for freedom of speech and assembly and emphasized that these issues remain a focus for the United States.”
Mr al-Sisi’s reign has been marked by continued human rights abuses, including the killing of protestors.
During his time as the military chief, he oversaw the Rabaa massacre, in which over 1,150 unarmed supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood were killed "systematically and deliberately”, according to Human Rights Watch.
Muslim Brotherhood supporters charged (22 February 2015)
Massacre in Egypt was planned by security forces – HRW (12 August 2014)