Strong, with Tied Wings: 10 Surprising Facts About the Egyptian Air Force

An article in 'Calcalist' reviews the Egyptian Air Force, the largest in the Arab world, and presents ten facts about its combat history, diverse equipment, and lack of dedicated refueling aircraft. The article emphasizes the policy of diversifying procurement sources to prevent foreign dependence, and notes the tightening ties with China as relevant to the force's future.

This article reviews the Egyptian Air Force, the largest in the Arab world, and presents ten facts about its structure, combat history, and capabilities. The force, established in 1930, operates 1,088 aircraft, including 330 fighter jets from various manufacturers – American (F-16), French (Rafale, Mirage 2000), and Russian (MiG-29M2). This diversity is intended to prevent dependence on a single supplier. The article highlights the lack of dedicated refueling aircraft in the force, a significant limitation that restricts its ability to conduct a sustained bombing campaign. In contrast, the force has a large and diverse helicopter fleet, including Apache, Ka-52, and Mi-24 helicopters, as well as two helicopter carriers. The article notes the tightening ties between Egypt and China, and the possibility that future procurement of J10C aircraft and PL-15 missiles will provide the force with advanced air-to-air capabilities. The author assesses that the procurement policy in the refueling domain indicates that Egypt is not planning a large-scale offensive move.