El Alamein International Airshow 2026: A Global Showcase of Air Power and Aerospace Deals

The second El Alamein International Airshow and Space Exhibition (EIAS 2026) transformed El Alamein International Airport on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast into one of the world’s most diverse aerospace showcases from 8th to 10th September 2026. More than 250 exhibitors from over 50 countries were represented, with more than 100 aircraft, over 50 aerial displays (including display teams) and almost 12,000 visitors expected across the three-day event.

What made the 2026 show particularly significant was the extraordinary mixture of American, Russian, Chinese, European, Middle Eastern and Egyptian aircraft sharing the same ramp. Alongside the flying displays, the exhibition was an important business event, producing a series of agreements covering airliners, helicopters, unmanned systems, maintenance and aviation services.

Major deals and announcements

One of the headline announcements came from Air Cairo and Airbus. Air Cairo signed an agreement concerning 30 Airbus A320neo airliners. Subsequent company information clarified the structure as a firm order for 15 A320neos, with a further 15 aircraft incorporated into its strategic planning. The agreement forms part of Air Cairo’s expansion programme and its objective of building a substantially larger and younger fleet.

The show also marked an important milestone for the Egyptian Air Force when Boeing formally handed over the first five of 12 CH-47F Block I Chinook heavy-lift helicopters. The programme is valued at approximately $426 million and represents the replacement and modernisation of Egypt’s older CH-47D fleet. The CH-47F introduces a digital cockpit and modern avionics architecture while retaining the Chinook’s well-established heavy-lift capability.

Another significant defence agreement was signed between Turkey’s HAVELSAN and Egypt’s Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) for the HAMZA-1 unmanned aerial vehicle. The agreement moves the project from development towards commercial sales. HAMZA-1 is a fixed-wing VTOL UAV incorporating HAVELSAN autonomous-systems technology with Egyptian manufacturing capability.

 

Egyptian aviation companies also used the show to expand international partnerships. EGYPTAIR Maintenance & Engineering expanded its agreement with Boeing to deploy Boeing’s Airplane Health Management system across its growing 737 MAX fleet. EgyptAir Ground Services also signed agreements with international aviation-service companies, while EgyptAir Cargo concluded and renewed cargo-agency arrangements in markets including Turkey, Germany, the Benelux, Jordan and Hong Kong.

A truly international gathering

The aircraft and industrial exhibits reflected Egypt’s deliberately diversified aviation relationships. Major international companies represented included Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX/Raytheon, L3Harris Technologies, Leonardo, Dassault Aviation, Korea Aerospace Industries, Turkish Aerospace Industries, HAVELSAN, ASELSAN, ROKETSAN, CATIC and Rosoboronexport.

National participation extended well beyond Egypt. The opening flying programme involved aircraft and display teams from Russia, Spain, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France and India, while the wider exhibition included significant participation from the United States, China, and Italy, among others.

The United States Air Force brought a particularly varied military contingent. Aircraft documented at the show included a Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II belonging to the 107th Fighter Squadron of the Michigan ANG, Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon assigned to the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Wing, Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle of the 492nd Fighter Squadron normally stationed at RAF Lakenheath in England. The A-10 remains distinctive because it was designed specifically around the close-air-support mission and its enormous 30mm GAU-8/A cannon. The F-15E represented the strike-fighter side of the US line-up, while the F-16 demonstrated the enduring relevance of the lightweight multirole fighter. The Static around these assets also included two versions of the venerable Lockheed C-130 Hercules, an older C-130H from the 700th Airlift Squadron from Dobbins AFB and a newer C-130J-30 Super Hercules from the Texas Air National Guard unit, the 181st Airlift Squadron.

Russia’s presence centred on the Su-57E, the export version of Russia’s fifth-generation fighter. It was a major African debut for the type and was presented both as a flying aircraft and as a potential export product. Russia also brought the Yakolev Yak-130M trainer/light combat aircraft and borrowed an Egyptian Air Force Kamov Ka-52E ‘Alligator’

European air arm representation included Spain’s McDonnel Douglas EF-18M Hornet and an Airbus Military A400M. France was represented by the Dassault Rafale in the flying display and Italy flew in two 36 Stormo Eurofighter F-2000A for the static park. From elsewhere the United Arab Emirates Air Force Al Fursan wowed the crowds with their recently delivered Hongdu L-15E Falcons. India’s Sarang helicopter display team provided another distinctive element to the flying programme with their DHRUV helicopters. From Saudi Arabia the Saudi Hawks display team showed off their updated Hawk T-165 version which recently replaced the older mark 65 version.

China’s remarkable four-aircraft debut

Arguably the most unusual international appearance came from the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). Four Chinese aircraft types made their overseas airshow debut at El Alamein: the Shenyang J-16, Harbin Z-20KB, Xi’an YY-20A tanker and KJ-500(GX10) AEW&C aircraft.

Their presence was directly linked to the “Eagles of Civilization 2026” joint China-Egypt air exercise that had taken place shortly before the show.

The J-16 is a twin-seat, twin-engine multirole fighter derived from the Su-27 family. It combines air-to-air capability with precision-strike missions and was particularly significant because its deployment to Egypt represented its first known training appearance in Africa.

The Z-20 is China’s medium-lift utility helicopter. Broadly occupying a role comparable with Western medium utility helicopters, the aircraft displayed at El Alamein attracted attention for its unusual silver finish, which has prompted speculation that it could represent a specialised configuration. No definitive official explanation of the finish was given.

The YY-20, also known as the Y-20U in some reporting, is the aerial-refuelling tanker version of China’s Y-20 strategic transport. Its presence alongside the J-16 demonstrated the ability to support long-range fighter deployments with indigenous tanker capability.

Completing the quartet was the KJ-500, an airborne early-warning and control aircraft based on the Y-9 transport airframe. Its distinctive fixed radar disc contains three AESA radar arrays, providing airborne surveillance, tracking and command-and-control functions.

The four aircraft therefore represented four complementary capabilities: combat, aerial refuelling, airborne surveillance and helicopter operations. Their arrival at El Alamein was not simply an airshow visit; they were already in Egypt following Eagles of Civilization 2026, making their appearance a natural continuation of the Chinese deployment.

Broad Egyptian Air Force participation

For the host nation, EIAS 2026 provided an opportunity to display the breadth of the Egyptian Air Force. Egyptian aircraft included Dassault Rafale EM fighters, Lockheed Martin Block 52 F-16s, Mikoyan MiG-29M2s, Dassault Mirage 2000EM, Casa C-295M transports, K-8E trainers, AH-64D Apache attack helicopter, Kamov Ka-52E helicopter , AW149 helicopters and the newly delivered CH-47F Chinooks.

The Egyptian Air Force’s aerobatic capability was also prominent. Its display team, the Silver Stars, performed a large single-formation routine with their Hongdu K-8E Kakaorum trainers.. The appearance of newly delivered Rafales was particularly notable, while the CH-47F represented a tangible example of an aircraft entering Egyptian service during the exhibition itself.

All in all, 29 different types in various numbers represented the Egyptian Air Force ranging from the Air Creation Skypper microlights, the MiL Mi-17-V1 helicopters to trainers like the Alpha Jet, Grob G115 and Van’s RV-14A. Of the many helicopters, one highlight was a Westland Commando mk.2.

Egyptian industry was equally prominent. The Arab Organization for Industrialization, Ministry of Military Production, EgyptAir, Air Cairo, Nile Air, Petroleum Air Services and other Egyptian organisations occupied exhibition space alongside the world’s largest aerospace companies.

The result was an airshow that went considerably beyond the traditional concept of an aircraft display. El Alamein 2026 combined military aviation, commercial aviation, space technology, unmanned systems and industrial cooperation in one venue.

With American, Russian and Chinese combat aircraft appearing alongside Egyptian, European, Gulf and Asian participants—and with major commercial and defence agreements signed during the event—the second El Alamein International Airshow established itself as an important meeting point for the international aerospace industry and for Egypt’s increasingly diversified aviation and defence relationships.