Aiming to increase cooperation and confidence, China and Egypt have started their first-ever combined aerial exercises in Egypt using J-10C and MiG-29M2 fighters.
On April 19, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) kicked off their first combined aerial training exercise, “Eagles of Civilisation 2025,” at Egypt’s Wadi Abu Rish air base. China’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) confirmed the joint drill will run until early May.
Presented as a major move towards “promoting pragmatic cooperation and strengthening mutual trust,” the exercise shows Cairo’s and Beijing’s changing strategic relationship, especially in the area of air power.
A Showcase of Long-Range Deployment and Joint Interoperability
The PLAAF deployed a comprehensive aerial contingent to Egypt, including J-10C fighters, YY-20A/YU-20 aerial refuelling tankers, the twin-seat J-10S, and a KJ-500 AEW&C aircraft. In turn, Egypt employs its MiG-29M/M2 fighters in the exercise.
Satellite imagery from April 17 and open-source flight data show that at least five Y-20 strategic airlifters were ferrying equipment and personnel, with stopovers in Dubai en route to Egypt.
Chinese state media highlighted the deployment as a rare demonstration of the PLA Air Force’s expeditionary reach and rapid mobilisation capability, reminiscent of the 2022 FK-3 air defence system delivery to Serbia. The aircraft reportedly covered nearly 6,000 km in a complex multi-country transit without transmitting standard callsigns, tracked only through ICAO codes and ADS-B signals.
Strategic Symbolism and Equipment Cooperation Potential
The joint training follows China’s high-profile presence at the Egypt International Air Show in 2024, where the PLAAF’s Bayi Aerobatic Team performed over the Pyramids, and the Y-20 made its international debut in Africa. Although Chinese authorities refute previous allegations of J-10CE shipments to Egypt, the drill is viewed as a chance for Cairo to assess Chinese systems under operational settings.
Egypt currently runs the Chinese-made K-8 trainer and has expressed interest in additional systems, such as the L-15 and JF-17. Analysts say the YU-20’s interoperability with Egypt’s MiG-29 aircraft might let aerial refuelling tests run during the exercise, perhaps advancing more technological integration.
Defence Alignment and Diplomatic Messaging
According to Egypt's Ahram Online, the drills are structured to include joint sorties, mission planning exercises, and interoperability training. Beyond tactics, the training offers both nations a platform for aligning operational doctrines and fostering cross-platform coordination between two distinct air force ecosystems—one rooted in Western and Russian technology, the other in Chinese systems.
The exercise also has a political purpose: strengthening China’s involvement in the MENA area and providing Egypt with an option to its conventional defence allies as the PLAAF displays its full-spectrum aerial capabilities, from refuelling to airborne command and control.
