Egypt Considers Chinese Aircraft Amidst Stalled US F-35 Deal

Egypt is stepping up its quest for a state-of-the-art fighter jet as it explores options for acquiring advanced fourth and fifth-generation aircraft from China. This move comes in the wake of an unsuccessful bid to secure 20 F-35 fighter jets from the United States.

According to reports from News.Az and other foreign media sources, Egypt is considering Chinese aircraft such as the J-10C and the FC-31. The latter, however, is still in the prototype phase. Despite this, China has been reportedly reluctant to export its most advanced fifth-generation fighter, the J-20, to Egypt.

The stalled F-35 deal is partly due to the U.S. policy of maintaining military superiority for Israel. Nicholas Heras, senior director of strategy and innovation at the New Lines Institute, explained, “China would no doubt want to sell Egypt advanced fighters because the Egyptians tend to purchase a lot of military hardware and thus could become a reliable and valued customer for China.”

However, he added that Egypt would likely tread cautiously to avoid straining its relationship with the United States and to address Israeli concerns about potential shifts in Egypt’s military stance.

Experts suggest that Egypt’s current negotiations with China might be a strategic move to pressure the U.S. into offering alternative aircraft options, such as F-15s or advanced F-16s.

Aside from the U.S. and China, Egypt is also considering fifth-generation fighters from other nations like South Korea, Turkey, and India. However, these options are expected to take several more years for production and export before they become viable for Egypt’s needs.