PLA pilots trained against Rafales in the latest joint exercise, reflecting a decades-long expansion of activity on the continent
3-MIN READ3-MIN1 ListenJevans NyabiagePublished: 6:00pm, 19 Sep 2026Six Chinese J-16 fighter jets arrived in Egypt last month for a joint exercise in what was the aircraft’s first known deployment in Africa.In Egyptian airspace, Chinese pilots had the rare chance to train against the Rafale, an advanced French-built fighter.
The 6,000km (3,700-mile) deployment was completed in about nine hours with aerial refuelling, and tested China’s ability to move and support a combat-capable air package far from home.
