U.S. and Russian warplanes to appear together at Egypt's airshow

American and Russian military aircraft will appear at the same airshow this week, as the U.S. Air Force sends fighters and cargo planes to Egypt’s El Alamein International Airshow alongside a Russian delegation set to showcase its Su-57E stealth fighter.

The 2026 Egypt International Airshow officially opens September 8 at El Alamein International Airport, drawing participants from more than 80 countries and more than 50 aircraft on display, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command. The event marks its second iteration and is intended to highlight Egypt’s aerospace capabilities while reinforcing the decades-long U.S.-Egypt defense relationship.

The U.S. Air Force and the Texas Air National Guard are sending personnel and aircraft to the show, including C-130J Super Hercules and C-130H Hercules cargo planes, A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters, and F-15E Strike Eagle strike fighters. The U.S. delegation is also opening a pavilion featuring more than 25 American aerospace and defense companies.

“The United States is proud to participate in the El Alamein International Air Show 2026 and to open the U.S. Pavilion, featuring more than 25 American companies from among the world’s leading aerospace and defense innovators,” said Eric Gaudiosi, Charge d’Affaires ad interim at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo. “Our strong presence reflects the depth of the U.S.-Egypt partnership and our longstanding cooperation across the aviation, aerospace, defense, space, and commercial sectors. We look forward to building new partnerships and expanding opportunities that benefit both our countries.”

Russia is also attending the show with its own aircraft. Russia’s state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, has said it will fly its Su-57E stealth fighter in a demonstration and display it on the ground, alongside the public debut of two new weapons built for the jet, according to Russian state media reports covered separately by The Defence Blog. Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheev has said the company has signed new Su-57E export contracts ahead of the show, though he has not named the buying countries or disclosed contract values, and Russia’s claims about the jet’s proven combat record have not matched independently documented losses of the aircraft during its war in Ukraine.

Egypt has maintained defense ties with both Washington and Moscow for decades, operating American-made F-16s alongside Russian-made air defense systems and other Soviet-legacy equipment, a balancing act reflected in this week’s airshow drawing military hardware from both countries onto the same tarmac. The U.S.-Egypt defense relationship dates back to the 1978 Camp David Accords, and Egypt remains one of the largest recipients of U.S. military aid in the world.

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