Historic J-16 vs Rafale Dogfight Unfolds Over Egyptian Skies
During the Eagles of Civilization 2026 exercises in Egypt, Chinese J-16 fighters conducted one-on-one air-combat training against French Dassault Rafale jets for the first time, marking a historic matchup outside China or France and showcasing China’s 4.5-generation fighter capabilities against a Western twin-engine fighter, with a broad Chinese support package and operations continuing across multiple bases into September.