Friday, May 2, 2025

Egypt signals to US it has options after first air drill with China


A recent joint Egyptian-Chinese first-ever joint air force exercise held in Egypt
likely contains messages to the United States and should be closely monitored by Israel, Israeli observers have told JNS. Egypt announced on April 19, 2025, the commencement of the “Eagles of Civilization 2025,” which brought together multirole fighter jets and other types of aircraft from both countries in Egyptian airspace.

While official Egyptian sources did not detail the specific aircraft involved, Chinese state media outlet CCTV confirmed China’s participation with J-10C multirole fighters and aired footage on April 19 showing a J-10C flying alongside an Egyptian MiG-29 over the Wadi Abu Rish air base, located southeast of Cairo.

According to a report by Israel Defense, the Chinese contingent, including aircraft and personnel, received a formal welcome from senior Egyptian commanders upon arrival. The exercise spanned multiple Egyptian air bases and emphasized operational cooperation between the two air forces. This collaboration was widely interpreted as signaling Egypt’s intention to broaden its security partnerships, potentially looking beyond its traditional, decades-long military alliance with the United States. (Read More)