During a brief aerial clash, Pakistan claimed it shot down up to five Indian fighter jets, including three advanced French-made Rafale aircraft. This marked the first confirmed combat losses of the Rafale in actual dogfighting, sparking alarm in military circles worldwide.
According to reports from Islamabad, Pakistani J-10C jets—Chinese-made aircraft—used new long-range PL-15E missiles to take down the Indian planes beyond visual range. These developments prompted Egypt, a major Rafale operator, to reassess its ongoing aircraft deals with France, according to an intelligence report by Tactical Report.
Although Egypt hasn't canceled its Rafale expansion plans, Cairo entered intense negotiations with France, demanding rights to produce certain spare parts locally, train its personnel domestically, and receive full maintenance technology transfers. These demands are unprecedented in French-Egyptian military relations, as France has historically been reluctant to share sensitive tech, particularly regarding its prized Rafale.
Surprisingly, France has not rejected Egypt's tough conditions. Egypt is adamant about avoiding old deal patterns and is considering alternatives—such as the Russian Su-35 or the very same Chinese J-10C that downed the Rafales. Reports suggest Egypt and China are in advanced talks for both the aircraft and the PL-15E missile, which boasts a 300 km range—enough to strike targets deep into Israel from Egyptian airspace.