China and Egypt conduct joint air exercises with J-16 and Rafale combat

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force and the Egyptian Air Force have commenced the ‘Eagles of Civilization 2026’ joint air exercise in Egypt. A central component of the training involves simulated air-to-air combat between Chinese J-16 fighter jets and Egyptian Rafale fighters.

To reach the Egyptian airbase, Chinese military aviation completed a long-distance deployment of over 6,000 kilometers, involving J-16 fighters, YU-20 aerial refuelers, KJ-500 early warning and control aircraft, and Z-20 helicopters. The nine-hour flight required mid-air refueling to test China's capabilities in long-range force projection, rapid deployment, and integrated operations.

The exercise provides Chinese pilots with a rare opportunity to engage in structured combat scenarios against a Western-designed aircraft. Experts note that this training allows the PLA to observe the flight characteristics and tactical behavior of the Rafale, which is also operated by the Indian Air Force. The drills are expected to progress from one-on-one engagements to more complex two-on-two and multi-aircraft joint operations.