China's J-16 engage in first-ever combat exercise with French-made Rafale fighters

The first-ever combat exercise between China's J-16 heavyweight fighter jets and the French-made Rafale fighters took place on Sunday, according to the People's Liberation Army Air Force.

In video footage published by the PLA Air Force on Monday, Chinese pilots were seen operating their J-16s to engage with the Egyptian Air Force's Rafale fighters.

In a clip apparently filmed by the rear-seat pilot of a J-16 jet, a Rafale can be seen performing maneuvers, with the two aircraft flying at a relatively close distance at that moment.

This marked the first time any Chinese fighter plane has participated in combat drills with the Rafale, the most well-known French military aircraft and a major offering by Dassault Aviation.

The J-16 is a heavyweight, multirole fighter designed and developed by Aviation Industry Corp of China. It is widely regarded as one of China's best combat aircraft, capable of carrying more firepower than medium-weight models such as the J-10 series.

According to the PLA Air Force, Sunday marked the first flight training day of the China-Egypt "Eagles of Civilization 2026" joint training exercise, with the scheduled drill being one-on-one aerial combat.

As fighter jets from both air forces took off in succession, pilots from both sides engaged in intense maneuvers under combat-realistic conditions, according to the Chinese side.

Prior to the flight training, pilots from both sides delivered briefings on the characteristics of their respective participating aircraft. They then held in-depth discussions on the joint training scenarios, clarifying flight safety and airspace control rules, takeoff and landing procedures, and emergency response protocols, the PLA Air Force said.

The "Eagles of Civilization 2026" exercise is the second joint training event between the Chinese and Egyptian air forces. The PLA Air Force has sent a combined force of fighter jets, tanker aircraft, combat support aircraft, and helicopters.