With a low-altitude formation flying over the Pyramids of Egypt, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) of China concluded its first joint exercise with the Egyptian Air Force, named “Eagles of Civilization 2025.” The 18-day deployment marked a new milestone in military cooperation between the two countries and represented the first time that China has deployed personnel, combat aircraft, transport aircraft, and airborne control assets to North Africa for a combined air exercise.
The drill was part of a long-range deployment that began in mid-April, when Chinese J-10C/S fighters took off from their bases in China en route to North Africa to train alongside Egypt’s MiG-29M/M2 jets. The presence of Chinese air assets highlighted the consolidation of a strategy aimed at deepening cooperation with new partners across various continents. This effort extended beyond bilateral exercises to also demonstrate the PLAAF’s logistical and operational capability to deploy and sustain a mission on a distant continent, far from its home bases.
This was especially evident through the demonstration of strategic capabilities by the Chinese Air Force in Egypt, such as the aerial refueling variant of the Y-20 transport aircraft, designated YU-20, and KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft. A key milestone was the aerial refueling operation of a Chinese YU-20 with an Egyptian MiG-29 fighter, complemented by exercises involving air cover missions, air defense, and search and rescue operations.
Finally, as a culmination of the activities carried out in recent weeks, a formation flyover of the Egyptian Pyramids was recorded, featuring the aircraft that participated in the exercise. This reflected the close and growing ties between both nations. Chinese military experts noted that the training profile—focused on airspace dominance and threat neutralization—reflected a modern combat approach that relies not only on fighter jets, but also on a full suite of support capabilities ranging from transport and refueling to airspace surveillance and control within an operational area.
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