Held across 8-11 September, the second edition of the El Alamein International Airshow 2026 attracted over 100 aircraft in an event that was filled with Egyptian exotica. Dean West attended the show and kindly provided AeroResource with a detailed report and some fabulous images.

Western enthusiasts are accustomed to structured air shows: a clear participation list, easy access to event ticketing and solid event infrastructure. Unsurprisingly, for a show in its infancy and in a nation not used to air shows, El Alamein did not have any of this. However, this made for an exciting visit. Walking onto the airfield on Tuesday, September 8, there was little confirmation regarding which aircraft would participate in the show. Social media had promoted the likes of UAE Air Force’s Fursan Al Emarat and the Sarang team of the Indian Air Force, while self-confirmations suggested the French Air Force Rafale Solo Display and Spanish Air Force Hornet demos would be present. Would the Russians still attend with the anticipated Su-57? Would the rumoured appearances by the August 1st and Russian Knights teams materialise? What would the Egyptian Air Force contingent look like?

Entering the static park, the media pass ticket holders (the event isn’t open to the public) were greeted with an incredible line-up of Egyptian Air Force (EAF) aircraft. Almost every type in the inventory was present on the El Alamein Airport tarmac.

Taking centre stage was a CH-47F Chinook, with the show marking the Egyptian Air Force taking delivery of the first of their 12 heavy-lift helicopters ordered in early 2023. Either side of this, the variety of rotary-wing types operated by the EAF could be seen. CH-47D, A109E, Mi-8TV, Mi-172, AH-64D and a pair of AW149s were parked nearby. While any Egyptian military helicopter is a coup for an enthusiast, there were a handful of rotary types that really stood out as rare gems. A smart SA342L Gazelle, in a striking black-and-white VIP-looking scheme, made a welcome appearance, alongside a Commando Mk2, with the type anticipated to be replaced by the AW149 in the near future. However, two Russian-built types stood out as top-tier highlights. Egypt operates a fleet of 12 Mi-24V Hinds, formerly of the Mongolian Air Force, with a single Hind making an incredibly rare public appearance, still in the camouflage scheme of its former operator. Similarly attractive, but in a more traditional EAF sand camouflage, were a pair of Ka-52Es on static display. Egypt is the only foreign operator of the type, with 46 of the attack helicopters ordered in 2015 for both land-based operations and integration with the country’s Mistral-class assault ships.

Fast jet fans were not disappointed with representation of the EAF’s four frontline fast jet types on static display. A pair of Rafale EMs were alongside two MiG-29M2s, while two F-16Cs demonstrated how a bit of colour can dramatically change the aesthetic of a jet. One aircraft, 9762, was completely grey, only carrying the standard serial and national insignia, while 9753 also featured the high-visibility dayglo orange patches that help differentiate Egyptian F-16s from those of neighbouring countries. Of all the fast jets present, it was the Mirage 2000EM that drew the most attention. Egypt is a fairly small operator of the Mirage 2000, with just 20 aircraft ordered in the early 1980s, and the Dassault jets have seen minimal upgrades over the years, with retirement in favour of the Rafale expected in the near future.

The EAF An-74T-200A was a star of the show when it attended RIAT 2025; however, at El Alamein it was largely overlooked simply because it was the exact aircraft that the majority of visiting enthusiasts had already seen. Similarly, outside of the airshow environment, the static C-130H, B1900C and C-295M would be highlights of any spotting day or European airshow, but these were overshadowed by the likes of the AT-802, EMB-312AE and Alpha Jet MS2 starring on the El Alamein apron.

Sadly, the Egyptian Air Force’s Silver Stars were the only flying display asset from the home nation at the show. The team flies ten K-8E Karakorum jets in a routine that impressed and surprised the assembled photographers: a flowing display that always had something happening in front of the crowd, with clever use of a solo jet while the main formation repositioned away from the display line. One criticism of the flying display was that it was too team-heavy. The Saudi Hawks, with their new Hawk T165s, the Turkish Stars and Al Fursan also displayed over the three show days, meaning the vast majority of the display schedule was dominated by teams. Two exceptions were the fast jet solo displays from the French Air Force Rafale Solo Display and the Spanish Air Force EF-18M Hornet. While the Spanish routine was to the high standards expected of the European Hornets, the Rafale underlined why the display is considered Europe’s premier fast-jet solo demonstration.

The Russians were present, albeit not with the rumoured Russian Knights team, but instead with a Su-57E Felon operated by Sukhoi and flown by test pilot Sergey Bogdan. The fifth-generation jet made full use of its thrust-vectoring ability to perform a show-stopping display that included a tail slide, flat spin, cobra and a number of post-stall turns. Four aircraft from the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) were in attendance, having been in the country thanks to the Eagles of Civilization 2026 exercise with the Egyptian armed forces. Present at the show were a J-16, YY-20A, Z-20K and KJ-500. The contingent departed back to their exercise base on the Thursday evening, to the delight of the assembled media and photographers, providing an up-close opportunity to see aircraft that are often so camera-shy.

Clearly the event organisers were mindful of real-world relations and opted to park the United States Air Force contingent at the opposite end of the apron from the PLAAF participants, although that didn’t stop American aircrew wandering over for a closer look at the Chinese aircraft. The star of the USAF participation came in the shape of A-10C Warthog 80-0255 of the 107th Fighter Squadron, Selfridge ANGB, Michigan. The squadron is currently deployed to the Middle East, with this particular jet one of 18 that routed through RAF Lakenheath in early April 2026. Similarly, the US fast air parked alongside the Warthog, namely the F-16C and F-15E, was also attending from Middle East deployments. The Strike Eagle was the flagship aircraft of the 492nd Fighter Squadron at Lakenheath, while a 79th Fighter Squadron F-16C added a splash of colour with a special tiger scheme.

Organisationally, the show was all over the place. The flying display was gappy, often straying significantly from the publicised daily programme, while little to no security or structure provided some interesting challenges. While this meant that the small number of media and photographers almost had free roam over the un-barriered static display and adjacent live aprons, there was always the risk of this access being withdrawn, with some individuals pushing boundaries and straying too close to taxiing aircraft. El Alamein International Airshow is a gem in an airshow scene that is increasingly suffering from a lack of variety and colour. Should the event return in two years, it will be interesting to see whether it can match the highs of 2026.

You can find out more about the El Alamein International Airshow 2026 here: El Alamein International Airshow 2026 | Egypt Aerospace Hub

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