The J-10C and KJ-500 made their debut over the Sinai Peninsula, marking Egypt’s first capability to deter Israel.
The China-Egypt joint military exercise, “Civilized Eagle-2025,” is currently underway in an orderly manner. However, this joint training has surprisingly caused dissatisfaction from Israel. Previously, Israeli media reported that the Chinese Air Force’s J-10C fighter jet crossed over the Sinai Peninsula, while the KJ-500 early warning aircraft approached southern Israel, affecting their security.
(The J-10 fighter jet flies over the Sinai Peninsula)
According to reports, the Chinese Air Force’s J-10C fighter jet took off from the Beni Suef Air Base in Egypt and entered the airspace over the Sinai Peninsula, coming close to the Egyptian border. The KJ-500 early warning aircraft provided situational awareness support from behind. This caused significant tension in Israel, prompting them to activate their air defense warning system. The Israeli Air Force even deployed a G550 AEW aircraft for monitoring. Israeli media described this as a “provocative” action. This claim seems perplexing, as the Sinai Peninsula is Egyptian territory, and the airspace over the Sinai Peninsula is naturally Egyptian airspace. The Egyptian Air Force invited the Chinese Air Force for joint training, and the entry of the J-10C into the Sinai airspace is entirely within Egypt’s rights as a sovereign nation.
(The Israeli Air Force deployed a G550 AEW aircraft in response)
Israel covets the Sinai Peninsula, while Egypt is anxious yet helpless.
The Sinai Peninsula is located at the boundary between Asia and Africa, guarding the Suez Canal, making it strategically important. Israel occupied the Sinai Peninsula during the Fourth Arab-Israeli War. Later, to woo Egypt and divide Arab nations, Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, and the two countries signed a peace treaty. However, the treaty restricts Egypt from deploying fighter jets, tanks, and other heavy weapons in the Sinai Peninsula, and any significant military actions by Egypt must be notified to Israel in advance. Israel remains uneasy about this and, through Western countries like the United States and France, restricts the performance of weapons sold to Egypt. For example, the F-16 fighter jets sold to Egypt cannot use AIM-120 active radar-guided air-to-air missiles, and France does not equip Egypt’s Rafale fighter jets with Meteor long-range air-to-air missiles.
(Egyptian Air Force F-16D carrying AIM-7M medium-range air-to-air missiles)
Egypt is also in a difficult position regarding this situation, feeling helpless due to limited capabilities and having to swallow this bitter fruit. Entering the new century, the issues of the West Bank and Gaza have gradually become the focus of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially after Hamas rose in Gaza. There have been voices within Israel calling for the occupation of parts of the Sinai Peninsula to cut off the supply routes for Gaza. In May 2024, clashes occurred between Israeli and Egyptian forces at the Rafah border, leading outsiders to speculate about the possibility of Israeli probing. Egypt is well aware of this, but their existing weapons are primarily American and French. The consequences of a conflict are predictable. It is precisely because of these considerations that the Egyptian Air Force has turned its attention to our J-10CE fighter jets’ early warning aircraft, making it understandable that they have designated part of the training airspace over the Sinai Peninsula.
The arrival of the J-10C has been a great help to them.
(PL-15 is the weapon most desired by the Egyptian Air Force)
Outsiders believe that Egypt’s thoughts mainly include the following points: first, to deter Israel. Previously, Israel believed it had control over the U.S., France, and other Western countries, feeling invulnerable. Now that the Chinese Air Force has arrived, they must restrain themselves. Middle Eastern media believe that the KJ-500 has allowed the Egyptian Air Force to establish situational awareness of Israeli air operations for the first time, understanding the operational sequences and response times of the Israeli Air Force, and obtaining firsthand information on the performance of Israeli fighter jets and early warning aircraft, which was previously unattainable from Western countries. Additionally, it allows for the practical assessment of the combat effectiveness of the J-10CE fighter jet under real combat conditions, and the entry of the J-10CE into the Sinai Peninsula also signifies familiarization with the battlefield environment. The Egyptian Air Force hopes to use this training to verify whether the J-10CE can adapt to the Middle Eastern desert environment, preparing for future introduction and use of the J-10CE fighter jet.
(The KJ-500 has allowed the Egyptian Air Force to establish situational awareness of Israel for the first time)
Egyptian military experts believe that the friendship between China and Egypt has a long history, and military cooperation is “traditional and extensive.” The cooperation between the two sides includes not only fighter jets and early warning aircraft but also radar, electronic warfare, early warning, air-based information systems, and more. These technologies are also key to Israel’s military advantage over Egypt. Now, by breaking the Western monopoly, we help the Egyptian military fill in the gaps, allowing them to better maintain their security.