Egypt has reportedly placed an order for China’s Chengdu J-10C “Vigorous Dragon” fighter jets.
The combat aircraft were flown at the Egypt International Air Show held from September 3 to 5 at El Alamein International Airport.
Cairo declined to upgrade its current air force fleet with fighters from the US and instead opted to procure the multi-role fourth-generation Chinese fighters.
The US-made F-16 model that the Egyptian Air Force received in the 1980s has limited capabilities — the fleet is outfitted with outdated avionics and AIM-7P Sparrow missiles — due to restrictions over US concerns about the country’s human rights violations and regional conflicts.
Meanwhile, the J-10C is equipped to fight against modern threats in air-to-air combat and strike missions with PL-10 short-range and PL-15 beyond-visual-range missiles, high maneuverability, and advanced avionics.
Reports indicated that Egypt is diversifying its military suppliers to reduce reliance on the West, particularly the US. Following Pakistan’s purchase of the Chengdu J-10C in 2022, Egypt will be the second international customer.
The move follows the trend of Middle Eastern and African countries seeking alternatives to Western economic and political dominance with restrictive conditions.
To access favorable funding and investment and align itself more closely with the Global South, Egypt recently joined the BRICS economic group of nations along with Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Ethiopia.
