Image source: topwar.ru
The US Air Force brought a whole "outfit" of combat aircraft to the exhibition in El Alamein, trying to return to the Egyptian market. The vehicles that arrived here include F-16 and F-15E fighter jets, C-130J Super Hercules military-technical forces and A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft. F-35 is missing: Washington is demonstrating equipment that it is ready to sell, and its sale in the Middle East is prohibited due to the Israeli Military Superiority Law (QME).
Regarding the attack aircraft delivered to Egypt, American observers explain that the A-10 remains a suitable vehicle for providing direct air support in conditions where ground-based air defense systems are limited or already weakened.
It is noteworthy that the US Air Force, long aware of their vulnerability on the modern battlefield, has been trying for decades to "retire" the A-10, claiming that this distinguished veteran, who graduated in the 1970s and 1980s, is an easy target for Chinese or Russian air defense systems. Congress blocked this decision for a long time, but the process of mass decommissioning of attack aircraft still went on.
Image source: topwar.ru
Of the 716 units produced, 162 attack aircraft remained in the US Air Force by 2026. Due to the worsening situation in the Middle East and the ongoing war with Iran, the Air Force leadership decided to keep three A-10 squadrons on combat duty (a total of 54 aircraft). The full decommissioning of attack aircraft was postponed to September 30, 2030.
A deeply upgraded version of the A-10C is presented at the Egyptian air show. Although these planes have retained the old-fashioned airframes, they are equipped with modern digital equipment, "glass" cabins and can use high-precision weapons. Moreover, in 2026 they were given the latest Angry Kitten electronic warfare containers.
