China's J-16 fighters land in Egypt as Tong Ji is tracked off Taiwan
J-16 fighters deployed to Africa for the first time, Taiwan tracked the Tong Ji outside its territorial waters, and India began an effort to join France's FCAS programme.
Geopolitics··Evening
J-16 fighters deployed to Africa for the first time
People's Liberation Army J-16 fighters landed at an Egyptian airbase ahead of the Eagles of Civilisation 2026 exercise. The deployment is the twin-seat J-16 type's first trip to Africa. The aircraft covered 6,000 kilometres in about nine hours with mid-air refuelling. China's defence ministry said the exercise would focus on air-combat tactics and air-superiority operations and was scheduled to finish in early September. China sent J-10C fighters to the first joint exercise with Egypt's air force last year; the J-16 fighters will take part in the two countries' second joint air exercise.[1]
Taiwan tracked Tong Ji southwest of Liuqiu Island
Taiwan's coastguard tracked the 2,000-tonne Chinese research vessel Tong Ji 28 nautical miles southwest of Liuqiu Island and ordered it to leave. Operated by Tongji University in Shanghai, the vessel carries remotely operated underwater and surface craft as well as sonar equipment. The coastguard first saw Tong Ji 25 nautical miles northwest of Hua islet in the central Taiwan Strait on Thursday night; it appeared near Liuqiu on Friday morning. The ship headed southeast after Taiwan broadcast radio warnings. This was its third appearance near the island since May 2026.[2]
India began an effort to join the FCAS programme
India's defence ministry told parliament that it had begun a concerted effort to join the Future Combat Air System, the sixth-generation programme led by France. France and Germany abandoned their joint work on the core fighter in June, opening the door for Paris to take a new partner. India lags in key fighter technologies, particularly engine development, and its most advanced aircraft are French Rafale jets of the 4.5 generation. Its domestic fifth-generation project targets a prototype flight later this decade. No agreement, financial commitment or technology-transfer framework has yet been announced.[3]
