China's J-10C Fighters Deploy to North Africa—Could Egypt Place an Order for Over a Hundred Aircraft?
The Chinese Air Force has announced that a long-range combat formation will be dispatched to jointly conduct the "Eagles of Civilization 2026" military exercise with the Egyptian Air Force. As a result, rumors about Egypt potentially procuring the J-10CE fighter jet have resurfaced once again.
The China-Egypt joint exercise holds immense significance for the Egyptian Air Force. The Chinese Air Force’s long-range flights, aerial refueling capabilities, tactical maneuvering, large-scale formation operations, advanced beyond-visual-range air combat tactics, and sophisticated air weapon systems demonstrate the formidable combat power of China’s new-generation air forces—providing a strong attraction for Egypt.
The Egyptian Air Force currently urgently needs a high-performance command-and-control fighter. Although Egypt’s military ranks among the top in Africa, its weapons systems are derived from diverse sources—mixing Western and Eastern technologies—which complicates logistics and maintenance. The Egyptian Air Force simultaneously operates two distinct combat systems: U.S.-made and Russian-made platforms. Moreover, both the F-16 and MiG-29 aircraft in service have relatively low performance levels, making the need for a modern fighter urgent. The J-10C is therefore an ideal fit.
Some believe that Egypt could afford to import 48 J-10CE fighters, 4 KJ-500E early-warning aircraft, 5 Y-20 transport planes, and even 24 J-35 stealth fighters through a 10-year installment plan at a total cost of $10 billion. However, Egypt’s annual defense budget is only $2.4 billion, while the Suez Canal generates between $5 billion and $8 billion annually—meaning that even if all canal revenues were allocated to defense, the total would barely reach $10 billion.
Ultimately, the most likely outcome is that Egypt will reach an agreement with the United States and abandon plans to purchase the J-10CE, instead successfully upgrading its fleet of over 200 F-16s domestically.
The United States will inevitably strongly oppose Egypt’s acquisition of the J-10C fighter jet—just as it fiercely opposed Egypt’s earlier attempt to buy Russia’s Su-35 fighter.
Considering all factors, unless there are exceptionally generous terms, national-level strategic support, or additional incentives, Egypt is unlikely to purchase the J-10C. This situation may unfold similarly to how Argentina initially claimed it wanted to buy the FC-1 "JF-17" (Karakoram) fighter but ultimately opted for second-hand F-16s.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1873649308724227/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.