Dispatching Various Military Aircraft, Showcasing an Open Attitude, Chinese Warplanes "Team Up" to Participate in the Egypt Airshow

【Global Times Report by Reporter Guo Yuandan】On the 6th, the Ministry of Defense announced that, at the invitation of the Egyptian military, the Chinese Air Force will send various military aircraft, including fighter jets, early warning aircraft, refueling aircraft, and helicopters, to participate in the second Egypt Airshow held at Al Alamein International Airport from September 8 to 10. This is the second time that China has sent military aircraft to participate in the Egypt Airshow, aimed at enhancing friendly mutual trust and strengthening diversified military cooperation between the two armed forces.

Chinese military aircraft participate in the Egypt Airshow again

The first time Chinese military aircraft participated in the Egypt Airshow was two years ago. From August 27 to September 5, 2024, the Chinese Air Force sent the August 1st Air Demonstration Team with 7 J-10 demonstration aircraft and 1 Y-20 aircraft to participate in the inaugural Egypt Airshow. This was the first time the August 1st Air Demonstration Team performed in an African country and marked the farthest distance the team has traveled for an overseas performance. The Y-20 made its overseas airshow flight performance debut at the opening ceremony of the Egypt Airshow and was on static display throughout the event.

Compared to the lineup sent by the Chinese Air Force for its first participation in the Egypt Airshow, the number of aircraft types participating in the second Egypt Airshow has significantly increased, including fighter jets, early warning aircraft, refueling aircraft, and helicopters. “The aircraft types are more complete, covering multiple operational dimensions such as air superiority operations, airborne early warning, air support, and battlefield search and rescue. This not only intuitively reflects the development achievements of the Chinese Air Force's equipment system but also sends a clear signal that military exchanges between China and Egypt are continuing to deepen,” said Chinese military expert Song Zhongping in an interview with a Global Times reporter on the 6th.

Public reports indicate that for a long time, the Chinese Air Force has mostly appeared at international airshows abroad with single aircraft types, and it is extremely rare for a systematic, large-scale, multi-dimensional main battle equipment group to participate in exhibitions abroad.

The choice of the Chinese delegation has multiple significances

“The Chinese Air Force's trip to Egypt to participate in the second Egypt Airshow, sending a full set of operational and support aircraft types including fighter jets, early warning aircraft, air refueling aircraft, and various helicopters, marks that the technical status of the Chinese Air Force's main battle equipment is fully mature, with stable and reliable performance. It has completely acquired the comprehensive capability for regular overseas public displays, regular multinational mobile deployments, and regular external exchange demonstrations,” Song Zhongping analyzed.

Regarding the Chinese Air Force's dispatch of multiple main battle equipment types to the Egypt Airshow, Song Zhongping stated that this is a continuation and upgrade of the previous successful completion of the “Civilization Eagle-2026” joint training in Egypt, reflecting the normalization and multi-level, multi-field military exchange and cooperation between the two armed forces, and demonstrating the mature capability of the Chinese Air Force for long-distance multinational mobility and diverse overseas missions.

Song Zhongping believes that this move by the Chinese Air Force demonstrates multiple significances externally. On one hand, the Chinese Air Force actively showcases its systematic operational configuration and combat capabilities, releasing a strong military posture of openness, transparency, and confidence. On the other hand, China is also willing to indicate its capability to maintain the security landscape in the Middle East and Africa, continuously injecting positive forces for regional peace, stability, and long-term security.

In what form will they appear?

When discussing how these aircraft types will be presented at this year's Egypt Airshow, Song Zhongping believes that the Chinese side will likely continue the display mode of combining static displays and dynamic flight performances used during its first participation in the Egypt Airshow. “In terms of dynamic flight displays, the main fighter jets will undertake flight missions, showcasing the excellent maneuverability, control quality, and battlefield adaptability of domestic fighter jets through some highly practical flight maneuvers. Meanwhile, the KJ series early warning aircraft, Y-20, and other special support aircraft may appear at the airshow site in a flyover format, fully presenting the Chinese Air Force's collaborative operational chain of ‘early warning command, air refueling, air superiority operations, and all-domain mobility,’” Song Zhongping believes. He also does not rule out the possibility of large special aircraft types such as early warning and refueling aircraft being displayed statically, allowing military personnel, professional institutions, and on-site audiences to observe equipment details up close and understand equipment performance, forming a three-dimensional, comprehensive, and intuitive display effect.

“Relying on the Egypt Airshow as a professional exchange platform, China will comprehensively showcase the achievements of the new era of air force construction, intuitively demonstrating the leap-forward progress of the modernization, regularization, and systematization of the Chinese military to the international community, allowing the world to have a more objective and comprehensive understanding of the development of China's national defense forces in the new era,” Song Zhongping stated.

Building a platform for diversified military cooperation between China and Egypt

In recent years, cultural exchanges and friendly interactions between the Chinese and Egyptian militaries have been frequent, with mutual trust and traditional friendship continuing to strengthen. In addition to the Chinese Air Force sending military aircraft to participate in the Egypt Airshow for two consecutive times, the air forces of the two countries have also conducted a series of joint training exercises.

From mid-April to early May 2025, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force sent a detachment to Egypt to participate in the China-Egypt “Civilization Eagle-2025” joint air force training. This was the first time the two militaries organized joint training, which is of great significance for promoting practical cooperation and enhancing friendship and trust between the two armed forces.

From mid-August to early September this year, the air forces of China and Egypt conducted the “Civilization Eagle-2026” joint training in Egypt, marking the second time the two sides held this series of joint training, focusing on air combat tactics, air superiority operations, and combat search and rescue training, as well as conducting troop deployment exercises.

Song Zhongping stated: “In regularized confrontation exercises, the two militaries learn from each other’s skills, exchange tactics, complement each other’s strengths, and share resources, accumulating joint training experience through coordinated cooperation and enhancing collaborative levels through practical confrontations, achieving mutual learning and mutual enhancement.”