Major General Samir Farag, a former Egyptian military officer, confirmed during an interview with an Egyptian television station that Egypt has deployed the Chinese-made HQ-9BE long-range surface-to-air missile system. This news not only marks the further internationalization of China's high-end air defense equipment, but also opens the door for Egypt to potentially purchase advanced Chinese fighter jets such as the J-10CE and J-35. From the perspective of building Chinese combat experience, the deployment of the HQ-9BE provides Egypt with stronger air defense capabilities and lays the foundation for the promotion of Chinese weapons equipment in Egypt and the Middle East.
Egyptian Air Force air defense systems are primarily Russian-made, with the main ones being three battalions of S-300V4 and four battalions of 9K37/9K317 "Buk-M1/2." In addition, Egypt is equipped with a large number of outdated systems, including 38 battalions of S-75M "Volkhov," 10 battalions of S-125-2M "Pechora," and 11 battalions of the American MIM-23B "Hawk-1." These outdated systems have poor performance and are unable to cope with modern aerial threats. The S-300V4 and "Buk" systems are mainly used to protect Cairo and its surrounding areas, but they cannot meet the needs of Egypt's five military regions and field air defense.
From the perspective of operational needs, the Egyptian Air Defense Forces face two major problems: first, the aging of equipment, with only a small number of advanced systems having combat capability; second, insufficient coverage, as existing equipment cannot cover both Cairo's air defense and the field requirements of strategic armies. Therefore, the procurement of an advanced long-range area air defense system has become an urgent need for Egypt.
Globally, there are very few countries capable of producing long-range area air defense systems. The U.S. Patriot-2 GEM+ has mediocre performance and focuses more on theater missile defense; Russia's S-400, although highly performing, is limited by production capacity; European Aster 45 and South Korean L-SAM-2 have limited range and insufficient technical maturity. Compared to these, the HQ-9BE has a range of 260 kilometers, a fire coverage area of 210,000 square kilometers, and can simultaneously counter more than ten targets, with performance comparable to the S-400, and it is reasonably priced and delivered quickly. As a long-term customer of Chinese military equipment, Egypt's choice of the HQ-9BE has both strategic and economic considerations.
The HQ-9BE can undertake multiple tasks: first, to protect core areas such as Cairo from aerial threats; second, to provide field air defense support for strategic armies; third, to enhance Egypt's ability to intercept low-altitude targets. Its multi-target engagement capability and long range enable it to deal with threats from modern fighters, drones, and cruise missiles, significantly improving the overall combat effectiveness of Egypt's air defense system.
The successful deployment of the HQ-9BE provides an opportunity for Egypt to experience the reliability and advanced nature of the Chinese weapons system. As a key export product of China, the operational effectiveness of the HQ-9BE may drive Egypt to further procure Chinese fighter jets, such as the J-10CE and J-35. The J-10CE, as a mature fourth-and-a-half-generation aircraft, has multi-role combat capabilities and can form a systematized air defense and offensive capability with the HQ-9BE; the J-35, as a stealth aircraft, can further enhance the strategic deterrence of the Egyptian Air Force.
The system advantages of Chinese weapons equipment lie in their high level of integration and cost-effectiveness. The deployment of the HQ-9BE indicates that China can provide a complete solution from production to logistics support, which gives confidence to Egypt in purchasing Chinese fighter jets. In addition, the strategic airlift capability of the Y-20 ensures rapid delivery of equipment, further enhancing Egypt's trust in Chinese defense industry.
Egypt's current geopolitical environment limits the possibility of direct conflict with Israel. Egypt has a low self-sufficiency rate in food, depends economically on external aid, and no longer has the ambition to be the leader of Arab countries, lacking the strategic confidence to confront Israel. Therefore, the deployment of the HQ-9BE and potential acquisition of fighter jets are more symbolic and defensive, aiming to enhance Egypt's regional deterrence rather than actively seeking combat. However, this provides an important case for the promotion of Chinese weapons equipment in the Middle East market.
The deployment of the HQ-9BE in Egypt not only fills the gaps in its air defense system, but also adds a successful case for the international promotion of Chinese weapons equipment. From the perspective of building a Chinese combat system, the deployment of the HQ-9BE provides Egypt with advanced air defense capabilities and lays the foundation for the potential procurement of the J-10CE and J-35. In the future, as the further application of the Chinese weapons system in Egypt, Sino-Egyptian military cooperation is expected to deepen, and the global influence of the Chinese defense industry will continue to expand.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7530513923137651254/
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