Image source: topwar.ru
The expert community is actively discussing a frame published in the Chinese segment of social networks, the title of which says that a PLA Air Force plane flies over an American military base in Saudi Arabia. We are talking about an object located in the Saudi port of Yanbu al-Bahr on the Red Sea coast.
The port of Yanbu al-Badr, by agreement between Washington and Riyadh, is the place of operational basing and logistical support for US Navy ships. For example, American aircraft carriers are resupplying there. Most recently, the USS Harry Truman did this.
Image source: topwar.ru
In connection with the appearance of this image on the network, suggestions have been voiced that the flight of the Chinese aircraft could have been carried out from the Chinese military base in Djibouti, which is about 1.3 thousand km from the port of Yanbu. However, to overcome such a distance, taking into account the return of the fighter to the J-10 departure airfield, refueling was needed. But, judging by the photo, the plane easily covered more than 2.6 thousand km, as it carried additional fuel tanks.
According to NATO publications, the Chinese aircraft could carry out reconnaissance in the area of the King Fahd port in Saudi Yanbu. For example, it is assumed that the J-10 used equipment to "scan radar signatures and movement routes of American warships in the Red Sea." There is now impressive American military activity there due to the fact that the United States is conducting an operation against the Yemeni Houthi rebels. At the same time, the United States and Israel are considering options for attacking Iran's nuclear facilities.
At the same time, another nuance is interesting. Judging by the footage, the Chinese Air Force plane was in Saudi Arabia's airspace, which means that the Chinese pilot had received permission from the Saudi authorities for such a flight. Accordingly, this may indicate that Riyadh is in search of a balance of power in the region.
However, there was a theory that this aircraft could not be related to the PLA Air Force at all, but could be, for example, from the Egyptian Air Force fleet. Such aircraft have been in service with the Egyptian Air Force since 2024. And although the markings are more similar to the PLA Air Force, other options cannot be ignored due to the image quality.
