The presence of a Chinese KJ-500 early warning aircraft at the joint Egypt-China “Eagles of Civilization 2025” air exercises has drawn considerable military attention. This participation marks the first operational deployment of this advanced aircraft outside of Chinese territory.
According to Israeli media reports, the KJ-500 carries some of the world’s most advanced electronic warfare systems, prompting both Israel and the United States to make intensive efforts to monitor its technical capabilities and understand the extent of China’s progress in this field.
The Israeli portal Nziv confirmed that the joint exercises, taking place at an Egyptian air base, include multi-role fighter jets from both sides, in addition to Chinese Y-20 transport aircraft and the KJ-500 early warning aircraft.
They indicated that the training program includes theoretical lectures and practical applications aimed at standardizing combat concepts and exchanging experiences between the participating forces.
This military cooperation comes within the framework of Egypt’s efforts to diversify its arms sources and enhance its combat capabilities, especially in light of current regional security challenges. It also reflects the notable development in military relations between Cairo and Beijing, which previously saw the participation of Chinese aircraft in the Egypt International Air Show 2024.
These exercises are expected to continue for several days, focusing on the planning and execution of joint air combat operations, in a step aimed at strengthening mutual trust and exploring prospects for future cooperation between the two countries in the military field.
