Israeli media outlets have reported that there is growing concern within the Tel Aviv defense establishment about the possibility of Egypt acquiring advanced Chinese J-10C fighter jets, especially if they are equipped with PL-15 air-to-air missiles.
These missiles, known to have a range of 200 to 300 kilometers, could significantly improve Egypt's air combat capabilities and change the balance of air forces in the region.
According to the Israeli defense website Nziv, Egypt's interest in the J-10C is part of a broader strategy to modernize the Egyptian Air Force and the desire to diversify its military suppliers away from traditional Western partners.
This comes after Egypt's success in acquiring French Rafale jets, American F-16s, and MiG-29Ms.
Reports indicate that Egypt may receive the export version of the PL-15E missile, which has a shorter range of 150 kilometers, compared to the standard PL-15 missile used by the Chinese military, which has a range of 200 to 300 kilometers. Despite this difference in range, the PL-15E missile represents a significant improvement to Egypt's air combat capabilities, outperforming existing missiles in the region in terms of range.