At least five Chinese Y-20 transport aircraft have landed in Cairo this week, according to flight tracking data, as the People’s Liberation Army confirmed it would hold its first-ever joint air force exercise with Egypt later this month.
The drill, known as Eagle of Civilization 2025, will run until the middle of next month, the Chinese defence ministry said on Wednesday.
The previous day, open-source intelligence observers and flight data from Flightradar24 had confirmed the arrival of at least five Y-20s and a KJ-500 airborne early warning and control plane – news that sparked debate among analysts about China’s growing influence in the Middle East and North Africa.
The region has historically been dominated by arms suppliers from the United States, Russia, and France.
The Y-20, affectionately nicknamed the “Chubby Girl,” is a cornerstone of China’s expanding airlift capabilities. It ranks alongside aircraft such as the American C-17 Globemaster III and the Russian Ilyushin Il-76.
With a maximum payload of 66 tonnes, a length of 47 metres, and a wingspan of 50 metres (165ft), the Y-20 can transport a wide range of equipment, including China’s heaviest tanks such as the Type 99A, armoured vehicles, troops and humanitarian supplies.
