- China's J-16 fighter jets are participating in the 'Eagles of Civilization 2026' joint air exercise in Egypt, marking the first-ever combat training engagement with the French-made Rafale fighters.
- The second edition of the drills began on Saturday and will last several days.
- On Sunday, the first flight training day of the China-Egypt 'Eagles of Civilization 2026' exercise featured one-on-one aerial combat between J-16s and Rafales.
- The PLA Air Force published video footage on Monday showing Chinese pilots engaging with Egyptian Rafales.
- In 2025, China sent J-10s to participate in the Eagles of Civilization exercise.
- The J-16 is a heavyweight, multirole fighter designed and developed by Aviation Industry Corp of China, regarded as one of China's best combat aircraft.
- The Rafale is a major offering by Dassault Aviation and is well-known in military aviation.
China's J-16 fighters faced off against French-made Rafales in a historic combat exercise during the 'Eagles of Civilization 2026' drills in Egypt, which commenced on Saturday. This exercise is significant as it marks the first time any Chinese fighter has participated in drills with the Rafale, a premier aircraft from Dassault Aviation.67
The J-16, a heavyweight multirole fighter developed by Aviation Industry Corp of China, is recognized for its advanced capabilities, including modern avionics and electronic warfare systems. The exercise involved one-on-one aerial combat training, where pilots from both the People's Liberation Army Air Force and the Egyptian Air Force engaged in intense maneuvers under combat-realistic conditions.
According to the PLA Air Force, the drills included briefings on the characteristics of each aircraft before the flight training commenced. The J-16 is larger and more powerful than the J-10, which China previously sent to the Eagles of Civilization exercises in 2025. The J-10 had gained attention for its performance against Rafales during the India-Pakistan conflict last year, where it was credited with downing multiple Indian aircraft, although these claims remain disputed.4
The Eagles of Civilization 2026 exercise is the second joint training event between China and Egypt, reflecting the deepening military ties between the two nations, which have maintained diplomatic relations for about seven decades. The PLA Air Force has deployed a comprehensive force, including fighter jets, tanker aircraft, and helicopters, to participate in this significant military collaboration.
“The J-16, a heavyweight twin-engine fighter built by AVIC Shenyang, is larger than the J-10 and designed for longer-range missions. This exercise follows China's J-10C performance in the India-Pakistan conflict last year, where Islamabad credited it with downing multiple Indian aircraft, though India disputes the account.”
