(GEO MILITARY AFFAIRS) — In a development that could reshape the Middle East’s strategic airpower balance, Egypt is reported to be seriously considering the acquisition of China’s next-generation J-35A stealth fighter jet, as highlighted by the influential U.S. magazine Newsweek.
Egypt’s growing interest in the Chinese-made J-35A comes as Cairo’s frustration mounts over Washington’s longstanding refusal to supply Egypt with top-tier combat aircraft such as the F-35 Lightning II and the latest F-15EX variants armed with AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles — a policy shaped largely by Israel’s unwavering insistence on maintaining its U.S.-backed Qualitative Military Edge (QME) over any potential regional adversary.
For decades, the United States has kept its closest Arab military partner boxed in with legacy airframes like the F-16 Fighting Falcon, while selling the most advanced fifth-generation stealth aircraft to Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and selected NATO allies — effectively ensuring that Cairo’s airpower remains decisively second tier.
In recent weeks, senior figures in the Egyptian Air Force, including Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Abdel Gawad, have reportedly signalled keen interest in the J-35A, a twin-engine stealth fighter designed to rival the American F-35 in low-observability, sensor fusion, and next-generation avionics.
Defence analysts believe the Chinese J-35A — developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation — offers a politically viable path for Cairo to break through the technological ceiling imposed by Washington’s arms sales restrictions.
Retired Egyptian Army Major General Sayed Ghoneim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi-based Institute for Global Security and Defense Affairs (IGSDA), told Newsweek that the public display of a scale model of the J-35 during a recent ceremony in Cairo to mark 45 years of Egypt-China military ties was more than mere symbolism — it was a calculated signal to both Beijing and Washington that Egypt is ready to diversify its high-end defence acquisitions.
“This move could also be aimed at pressuring the U.S. to be more flexible with Egypt’s requests for advanced fighter jets—especially given Washington’s disregard for Egypt’s security concerns during Israel’s recent war on Gaza, and its insistence that its weapons not be used by any country against U.S. allies,” said Ghoneim in remarks to Newsweek.
The symbolism could not be clearer.
For Cairo, which continues to operate one of the world’s largest F-16 fleets, Washington’s restrictions on vital upgrades, such as modern AESA radar retrofits or AMRAAM missile integration, have turned the once-formidable Fighting Falcon into a legacy platform with limited deterrence value against more modern threats.
According to multiple regional defence experts, Cairo’s pivot towards the J-35A is part of a broader push to modernise its tactical aviation fleet in the face of mounting regional challenges, including Turkey’s rapidly advancing indigenous TF-X fifth-generation fighter programme, the UAE’s continued pursuit of the F-35 despite political hurdles, and Israel’s recent acquisition of additional F-35I Adir squadrons to maintain its dominant edge.
China’s offer of the J-35A is more than just another arms deal; it forms part of Beijing’s grand strategy to undermine American influence in North Africa and the broader Arab world — a cornerstone of its Belt and Road Initiative and its ambition to become a first-tier global arms supplier capable of competing with the U.S. and Russia in advanced fighter exports.
For Beijing, securing Egypt — historically a cornerstone of U.S. security architecture in the Middle East — as an early J-35A customer would be a major diplomatic coup, reinforcing its reputation as an alternative source of cutting-edge military technology unburdened by the political conditions that have long been the hallmark of U.S. Foreign Military Sales.
The strategic subtext is unmistakable: the United States, by adhering so rigidly to Israel’s QME policy, may be driving a key Arab partner into China’s arms.
While no official confirmation has emerged from Cairo or Beijing regarding contract negotiations, multiple signals point to the groundwork being quietly laid.
Retired Egyptian army officers and regional think tanks believe any such deal would likely be accompanied by a broader technology-transfer component, including local assembly and maintenance facilities — a prospect that would allow Egypt to build indigenous know-how in stealth airframe production and advanced avionics integration, areas where its domestic aerospace industry has historically lagged.
In financial terms, the estimated flyaway cost of a J-35A is believed to be in the range of USD 85 million (RM 400 million) per unit, a figure that remains competitive compared to the F-35’s estimated USD 90–100 million (RM 425–475 million) export cost, depending on configuration and sustainment packages.
Cairo’s previous big-ticket acquisitions — from French Rafale fighters to German Type 209 submarines and South Korean K9 howitzers — demonstrate that Egypt’s leadership is willing to pay a premium for strategic independence, even amid economic headwinds and IMF-imposed fiscal constraints.
“This could reduce the share of American weaponry in the Egyptian military—a shift that might ripple across other markets in the region and beyond, as Egypt is considered a key reference point for countries assessing the quality of global weapons systems. This was evident with Egypt’s acquisition of the French Rafale, and especially in light of its openness to importing arms from other countries such as South Korea and Germany, as well as purchasing components from various other sources,” said Ghoneim.
Washington’s reluctance to green-light advanced fighter transfers is rooted in more than just Israeli pressure; it is also influenced by a deep-seated fear that such cutting-edge systems could fall into Russian or Chinese hands for reverse engineering, given Cairo’s diversified foreign policy and robust defence ties with Moscow and Beijing.
Yet from Cairo’s perspective, this strategic tightrope has become increasingly intolerable.
For many in Egypt’s military establishment, the American stance feels increasingly anachronistic at a time when other Arab Gulf states are being courted with next-generation platforms, including the UAE’s relentless pursuit of the F-35 and Turkey’s parallel stealth fighter development.
Meanwhile, the Middle East’s threat landscape is rapidly evolving.
Drone proliferation, long-range stand-off missiles, and the growing use of electronic warfare have exposed the shortcomings of legacy platforms that lack stealth and robust sensor fusion — precisely the gaps that the J-35A aims to fill.
With a maximum range estimated at over 1,200 nautical miles (2,200 km), internal weapons bays designed to reduce radar signature, and the capacity to carry a new generation of Chinese PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles, the J-35A represents a significant leap in capability for any operator seeking a credible counter to adversaries fielding the F-35 or other modern stealth assets.
Should Egypt’s stealth fighter ambitions materialise, the repercussions will reverberate far beyond Cairo.
Regional rivals will be forced to recalculate their own procurement strategies, while the United States will face an uncomfortable reality: its ironclad policy of preserving Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge has become a catalyst for its Arab partners to pivot eastward, bringing Beijing deeper into Washington’s traditional sphere of influence.
For now, all eyes remain on Cairo’s next move.
But if the Egyptian Air Force does indeed fly the J-35A in the coming years, it will stand as proof that even in an era defined by complex alliances and shifting loyalties, the immutable logic of military necessity and strategic sovereignty can outweigh decades of diplomatic tradition.
J-35A Unveiled: China’s Stealth Fighter Expands Reach Beyond the J-20
The J-35A is China’s emerging fifth-generation carrier-capable stealth fighter, developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation under AVIC.
Often dubbed “China’s answer to the American F-35,” the twin-engine J-35A—sometimes referred to as FC-31 or “Gyrfalcon”—is designed to deliver advanced low-observable capabilities, modern sensor fusion, and beyond-visual-range air combat performance for both naval and export markets.
With an estimated top speed of Mach 1.8 and a combat radius exceeding 1,200 nautical miles (2,200 km), the J-35A is expected to carry advanced Chinese air-to-air missiles such as the PL-15, with its reputed 200-kilometre range and active AESA radar seeker.
The aircraft’s stealth features include an angular airframe, internal weapons bays, radar-absorbent coatings, and a chin-mounted electro-optical targeting system, mirroring design elements seen on the F-35.
As China’s second indigenous stealth fighter after the larger Chengdu J-20, the J-35A aims to equip the next generation of Chinese aircraft carriers while also appealing to foreign buyers seeking an alternative to Western stealth jets amid export restrictions.
The J-35A’s entry into service and export potential are watched closely, as its deployment could shift regional airpower balances and further extend Beijing’s influence in global arms markets.
— GEO MILITARY AFFAIRS