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A Chinese J-16 Fighter Went Head-to-Head With a French Dassault Rafale for the First Time in History, and It Happened Over Egypt
19FortyFive • • world
Key Points:
- For the first time, Chinese J-16 fighter jets engaged in organized air combat training with French Dassault Rafale fighters during the "Eagles of Civilization" joint exercise held over Egypt in August 2026.
- The exercise marks the J-16’s first deployment to Africa and includes a substantial Chinese support package involving various aircraft and helicopters, with activities across multiple Egyptian air bases.
- The one-on-one aerial combat training provided a rare direct comparison between Chinese and Western fighter jets, following previous encounters involving Chinese J-10s and French aircraft in South Asia.
- Egypt’s participation with its French Rafale jets alongside Chinese aircraft highlights Cairo’s strategy to diversify its defense partnerships beyond its traditional ties with the United States.
- The ongoing exercise reflects China’s broader effort to benchmark its advanced fighters against Western platforms, providing valuable operational insights amid limited real combat data.
