Future plans and new aircraft for the Egyptian Air Force
The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) suffers a lack of spares for their Russian aircraft and helicopters, like the MiG-29M2s and Mi-17s. The Russian supply chain has been crippled by sanctions and other factors since 24 February 2022.
Therefore Egypt is searching for a collaboration with the India for the need of spares.
Indian state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) manufactures the Klimov RD-33 Series-3 engine for the MiG-29UPG fleet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and also manufactures most of its spares at home.
The 24 ordered Su-35S’ for the Egyptian Air Force will be sold to Iran. All produced Su-35s are still stored in the Sukhoy factory in Komsomolsk-na-Amure. During tests between the Rafale and the Su-35, the radar of the Su-35 repeatedly failed.
The Rafale’s powerful Spectra Electronic warfare suite not only attacked but also jammed the Su-35 BAR phased array radar successfully multiple times, rendering Su-35 blind in the sky, later following it being shot down by the Rafale in mock Beyond visual range dogfights.
Beside this fact, the Su-35 deal comes amid US pressure on countries worlwide not to buy Russian-produced arms. As the first batch of six Su-35S’ were ready to be delivered, the US Government threatened Cairo with sanctions against its armed forces.
The United States is going to supply Boeing F-15 Eagle combat aircraft to Egypt according a senior Department of Defense (DoD) official said. The commander of US Central Command (USCENTCOM), General Frank McKenzie, revealed the deal during a session of the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, DC.
The aircraft are likely to be the latest Advanced Eagle variant that has previously been sold to Saudi Arabia (F-15SA), to Qatar (F-15QA) and the the USAF (F-15EX). The fleet of 220 F-16s of the Egyptian Air Force service will soon undergo a significant upgrades.
The U.S. administration approved these upgrades. The EAF operates all F-16s in six wings. Further is Egypt close to completing an arms deal with Italy, concerning a purchase of 24 EF-2000 Typhoon aircraft. The sale of fighter jets is part of a wider arms deal, involving warships, combat and training aircraft (24 M346 Master) and a military satellite.
Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) offers Egypt the export and joint production of FA-50/T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainers. The EAF is reportedly seeking a new jet trainer to replace its aging fleet of Alpha Jets with a demand of around 100 aircraft.
For the replacement of the current trainers like the EMB-312 Tucano, Egypt is interested in acquiring an advanced KA-1 Woongbi trainer with new technologies, manufactured by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).
The Egyptian Ministry of Military Production is in talks with the Japanese Ministry of Defense for the procurement of the Kawasaki C-2 military transport aircraft, produced by Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI).
As earlier published by Scramble Magazine on 4 May 2021, Egypt placed an order for 30 new Rafale fighters in France to supplement the fleet of 23 Rafales in current service of the EAF.
Photos from the Scramble archives: K-8E by Arnold ten Pas and F-16 by Andrew Jewson