A PLA Air Force contingent, including J-16 fighter jets and a YY-20A aerial refueling aircraft, arrived at an Egyptian air base on August 21 for the "Eagles of Civilization-2026" joint training exercise.

The formation flew more than 6,000 kilometers across two continents and four countries in nearly nine hours. During the journey, the YY-20A refueled the fighter jets in midair and also served as an airborne command center.

The exercise, running from mid-August to early September, marks the second joint training exercise between the Chinese and Egyptian air forces.