US officials have informed reporters that they expected changes in the military after the election of President Mursi.
"We had expected President Mursi at some point to co-ordinate changes in the military leadership, to name a new team," Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters.
"The United States and the Department of Defence in particular look forward to continuing a very close relationship with the Scaf (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces)."
"The new defence minister is someone who is known to us, he comes from within the ranks of the Scaf and we believe we'll be able to continue the strong partnership that we have with Egypt,"
Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, a close ally of the US for decades, was dismissed on Sunday, in a move that took most observers by surprise.
The Egyptian military receives more than $1bn in aid from the US.
