By Arie Egozi, Autonomy Global – Ambassador for Israel
Egypt has reportedly concluded a major unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) deal, signing a contract valued at about 400 million dollars to acquire ten Chinese WJ-700 long-range strike drones from China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC). If fully implemented, the purchase would make Egypt and Algeria the two main African operators of this jet-powered MALE/HALE “Falcon” platform. It may signal the start of a regional trend to acquire Chinese high-end combat UAVs.
The WJ-700, developed by CASIC’s Haiying Aviation General Equipment arm, combines high-altitude, high-speed performance with a 20-hour endurance and a payload capacity of more than 800 kilograms. This enables both long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and standoff strike missions. With four underwing hardpoints, the UCAV can deploy CM-102 anti-radiation missiles to suppress enemy air defenses, as well as C-705KD and other anti-ship and land-attack munitions, which positions it as a versatile tool for maritime, air-defense and deep-strike campaigns.
According to regional and Chinese defense reporting, negotiations between Egypt and CASIC intensified through 2025 after earlier discussions in late 2024 focused on the WJ-700’s strike role, including Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD)/Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (DEAD missions. Multiple outlets indicate the agreement was signed around mid-2025. However, neither Cairo nor Beijing has officially confirmed the contract. This reflects the sensitivity surrounding high-end UCAV transfers in the Middle East and North Africa.
Egypt’s reported move is driven in part by requirements for enhanced Red Sea monitoring and long-range maritime domain awareness, as well as an interest in local production and technology cooperation highlighted around EDEX 2025, the Egypt Defence Expo, a biennial international defense and security exhibition hosted by the Egyptian Armed Forces in Cairo. The WJ-700’s combination of endurance, payload and jet-powered speed of roughly 600–700 kilometers per hour offers Egypt a platform capable of persistent ISR and rapid response against maritime and land targets across a wide area.
Regionally, the acquisition would significantly strengthen Egypt’s UAV order of battle. It could also alter airpower dynamics by adding a high-altitude, jet-powered strike option alongside existing Chinese and other foreign-origin MALE systems. With Algeria already fielding the WJ-700 Falcon, Egypt’s reported buy highlights a broader trend of North African air forces turning to Chinese industry for advanced UCAVs that blend ISR, electronic warfare and precision strike capabilities in contested environments.