All articles tagged with #j 16
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.
During Egypt's Aug. 23 'Eagles of Civilization 2026' drill, China's J-16 and France's Rafale conducted one-on-one air combat drills, showcasing a high-profile Africa-based test of the 4.5-generation fighters as Egypt expands its Rafale fleet (55 aircraft). The exercise sits within growing China‑Egypt military ties and comes as India pursues a roughly $20 billion plan to buy 114 more Rafales under Make in India; officials say the drills aim to standardize procedures and improve interoperability, with Egypt also weighing adding the J-10C to its mix of French, American and Russian aircraft.
Taiwan’s MoNDefense tracked 21 PLA aircraft on May 25, including a YY-20A/YU-20A aerial refueler that refueled two J-16 fighters in Taiwan’s ADIZ; 16 of the 21 sorties crossed the median line and were accompanied by PLAN vessels, illustrating intensified PLA air-sea activity around Taiwan and signaling the expanding role of the Y-20B in overseas operations.