A Chinese J-16 Fighter Went Head-to-Head With a French Dassault Rafale for the First Time in History, and It Happened Over Egypt

For the first time in aviation history, a Chinese fighter has flown organized air combat training against the Dassault Rafale. It did not happen over China or France. On August 23, 2026, Shenyang J-16s engaged Egyptian Rafales one-on-one during the Eagles of Civilization exercise, with pilots from both nations briefed on safety and airspace management before launching in succession.