Israeli media has highlighted a "significant Egyptian military plan to establish a large and unique factory in the Middle East for the production and reassembly of stealth fighter jets with the help of China." The Commander of the Egyptian Air Force, Major General Mahmoud Fouad Abdel Jawad, met with the Commander of the Chinese Air Force, General Chang Dingqiao, during a visit organized by the Chinese side.
According to the Israeli news site "nziv," which specializes in security and military affairs, an official statement released by the Chinese Armed Forces indicated that the meeting included discussions on matters of mutual interest and opened new horizons between the air forces of the two countries through cooperation and strategic partnership in various fields, particularly training, joint production, and the transfer of advanced technology.
The Hebrew site noted that 2024 might witness a significant surprise for the Egyptian Air Force with the acquisition of the Chinese stealth fighter aircraft FC-31, along with the transfer of production rights to Egypt.
During the visit, the Egyptian Air Force commander also met with the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Chinese Air Force, the Director of the Cooperation Department in equipment and technology within the Chinese army, the Chairman of the CATEC company, and the CEO of the Chinese company Norinco. Additionally, he visited the Tangjin Air Base, where he observed an air show featuring J-10C fighter jets performed by a Chinese acrobatic team.
Major General Mahmoud Fouad Abdel Jawad received a commemorative plaque from his Chinese counterpart during the meeting, with a large image of the Chinese stealth fighter J-20 behind them. The Hebrew site pointed out that the J-20 fighter jet is not available for export, but there is another Chinese alternative from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), which has offered its customers the establishment of production lines abroad for its stealth FC-31 fighter jet, in order to increase the export opportunities for its stealth aircraft. China has established a dedicated office to promote the FC-31 stealth fighter in the country, according to Chen Qiang, the Deputy General Manager of SAC, which is a subsidiary of the Chinese Aviation Corporation.
The report stated that compared to the American F-35 aircraft, the Chinese FC-31 features advanced technology and a reasonable price, and most importantly, the absence of political restrictions and full service. The FC-31, the second Chinese stealth fighter after the J-20, was showcased at the 2021 China Airshow in Zhuhai alongside the PL-15E air-to-air missile, which operates against beyond-visual-range targets.
The Hebrew site commented on this development by stating: "Since both the Egyptian and Chinese sides have agreed on joint production and the transfer of advanced technology, there is a strong possibility of transferring the aircraft production lines to Egypt, especially in the absence of any other alternative from the West or the East."
It noted that since Israel deployed the F-35 stealth aircraft, Egypt has sought to bridge the gap by purchasing French Rafale fighter jets, but despite their capabilities, they still lag a full generation behind the F-35. Therefore, China may represent an attractive option for "balancing" the balance of power in the region for the Egyptian Air Force relative to its Israeli counterpart.
