Chinese J-10C vs. Russian MiG-29M: Which is the Best Choice For Egypt’s Air Force?

<p >Following the confirmed <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/egypt-hosts-chinese-j10c-flying-radar-joint-exercises" goal="_blank">deployment</a> of J-10C fighters by the Chinese language Folks's Liberation Military (PLA) Air Drive to Egypt to take part within the ‘Eagles of Civilisation 2025’ joint air workouts, throughout which the plane operated carefully alongside Egyptian Air Drive <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/the-best-mig-29-ever-built-algeria-receives-new-mig-29m-fighters-reports" goal="_blank">MiG-29M fighters</a>, comparisons between the 2 courses of fight jets have more and more been made. The MiG-29M is at the moment Egypt’s solely fashionable fighter class that doesn’t endure from <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/can-t-shoot-very-far-why-egypt-s-massive-but-downgraded-f-16-fleet-is-totally-obsolete-for-modern-warfare" goal="_blank">closely downgraded</a> air-to-air fight capabilities, with 46 of the plane having been ordered from Russia in 2015 making the African state the world’s largest operator of the category. Though followup orders for additional MiG-29M fighters, or for its carefully associated however extra superior spinoff the MiG-35, have been <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/egypt-never-ordered-mig-35-fighters-from-russia-but-it-might-buy-some-very-soon" goal="_blank">beforehand speculated</a>, comparisons of the fighters with the J-10C present essential indications as to why the Chinese language produced fighters might properly have gained extra curiosity from the Egypt Air Drive over competing Russian jets. </p><p ><img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/30/article_681187fd38a6e3_26688354.jpeg" title="Chinese language PLA Air Drive J-10C Firing Rocket Pods"></p><p >Each the J-10 and the MiG-29 have been developed as lighter counterparts to Su-27 heavyweight fighter, which shaped the elite of the Soviet Air Drive from 1984 and the Chinese language Folks’s Liberation Military Air Drive <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/final-gift-from-the-soviets-how-china-received-three-of-the-ussr-s-top-fighters-weeks-before-the-superpower-collapsed" goal="_blank">from 1992</a>. Through the Nineties China procured the Su-27 in a lot bigger numbers than the Russian Air Drive itself may, and produced the fighters below license earlier than enhancing on the design considerably to develop the J-11, J-11B and ultimately the way more superior J-16 ‘4+ technology’ fighter. The J-10 entered service in 2004 with equally superior applied sciences to the J-11B, earlier than the improved J-10C variant was introduced into service in 2018 as a ‘4+ technology’ fighter with comparable sophistication to the J-16. China invested closely within the J-10 program to subject a high-low mixture of heavy and light-weight fighters, with the J-10 utilizing the identical WS-10 engine because the J-11 and J-16 albeit in single fairly than twin configuration. Over 600 J-10s at the moment service within the nation’s air drive, with manufacturing of the J-10C persevering with on a major scale. In contrast, after the disintegration of the USSR the money strapped Russian Air Drive largely deserted its high-low mixture of fighters, and invested primarily in creating enhanced variants of the Su-27 such because the Su-34 and Su-35 whereas making negligible investments in procuring the MiG-29. Consequently, in comparison with the roughly 300 J-10Cs in Chinese language service, Russia fields no MIG-29M fighters in anyway and solely <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-first-combat-deployment-mig35" goal="_blank">six MiG-35 fighters</a>. </p><p ><img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/30/article_681187d049abd3_24236882.jpg" title="Egyptian Air Drive MiG-29M Fighters"></p><p >The a lot better investments China has made in working the J-10C and in integrating its newest applied sciences onto the plane make it considerably extra enticing than the MiG-29M, with the fighter program additionally benefitting from a lot better economies of scale. One other main benefit of the J-10C is the a lot better sophistication of China’s fight aviation sector. This discrepancy is clearly seen between the nation’s fifth technology fighter packages, with the Chinese language J-20 thought-about one of many world’s most subtle fighters alongside the American F-35, whereas the Russian Su-57 has not solely been introduced into service way more slowly, however is considerably much less superior in areas resembling its stealth options and lack of distributed aperture methods. Discrepancies in applied sciences starting from composite supplies to radars and information hyperlinks are anticipated to offer the J-10C with a major benefit over Russian ‘4+ technology’ fighters, together with not solely the MiG-29M, but additionally a lot bigger plane. The J-10C has accordingly been reported to have <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/china-s-j-10c-reportedly-crushed-the-russian-su-35-in-combat-exercises-how-the-firebird-came-out-on-top" >constantly outperformed</a> the Russian Su-35 in simulated engagements. </p><p ><img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/30/article_68118919914254_92691474.jpeg" title="J-10C Outfitted For Air-to-Air Fight"></p><p >Evaluating the J-10C to Russian fighters, discrepancies in air-to-air missile applied sciences are additionally vital, with Russia having taken few steps to operationalise its R-77M missile as a major armament for brand new fighters, whereas its Chinese language counterpart the PL-15 has been in service for over a decade. This leaves MiG-29Ms, Su-35s and different Russian fighters closely reliant on the R-77-1, which is broadly equal to the American AIM-120C and Chinese language PL-12, however properly behind the leading edge. The J-10C’s benefits in visible ranges is doubtlessly even better, with the PL-10 missile able to participating at a lot better off boresight angles than the R-73/74 utilized by Russian fighters. Total the J-10C is prone to be thought-about a a lot more economical plane, and whereas extra pricey to obtain than the MiG-29M, it has considerably decrease operational prices and a far better fight potential. Procuring the J-10C has the extra advantage of permitting Egypt to modernise its air drive considerably extra rapidly, as Russian manufacturing of the MiG-29M and MiG-35 is proscribed to solely round 14 fighters per 12 months, with the plane produced completely for export and missing home orders. China can ship the fighters at near double the velocity, and produces the J-10C at a price of roughly 50 fighters per 12 months. Procuring the J-10C can additional function a stepping stone to Egypt’s procurement of its first fifth technology fighters, specifically the J-35, which makes use of lots of the identical applied sciences because the J-20 however is a lighter and fewer advanced plane thought-about extra reasonably priced for overseas shoppers. </p>



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