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What Russia and China showed off at the 2025 Dubai Airshow

Take a look at stealth fighters, drones, loitering munitions and more.

By Breaking Defense Staff on November 19, 2025 1:56 pm

Day three of the Dubai Airshow brought more news from the United Arab Emirates’ domestic defense industry and plenty of aviation rivalry between world powers. Stealth fighters have stolen the spotlight at the Middle East’s largest defense gathering, as a prospective F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia becomes the talk of the town and Russia tries to play up its Su-57 Sukhoi. Catch up on all of Breaking Defense’s news and multimedia coverage of the airshow now.

F-35 Dubai Airshow
Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II generated plenty of buzz at the 2025 Dubai Airshow as the US hashed out a deal to sell the stealth fighter to Saudi Arabia. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Su-57 Dubai Airshow
Russia pitches its Su-57 stealth fighter as an alternative to the F-35. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
Wing Loong drone Dubai Airshow
China’s Wing Loong WL-X is the country’s answer to American hunter-killer drones like the MQ-9 Reaper. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Zala Lancet Dubai Airshow
Russia’s Zala Lancet drone acts as a loitering munition as well as a surveillance tool. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Saab GlobalEye Dubai Airshow
Saab is pitching its GlobalEye jet for the airborne early warning and control mission as the US and NATO reconsider earlier contracts. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Calidus B-250 Dubai Airshow
UAE-based Calidus’ B-250 trainer and light attack aircraft makes an appearance at the airshow. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
Mirage 2000-9 Dubai Airshow
The UAE’s air force flew the Dassault Mirage 2000-9 fighter during the airshow. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)

PHOTOS: Dubai Airshow 2025

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PHOTOS: Dubai Airshow 2025

The Ilyushin Il-76 Russian transport aircraft looms large on the tarmac in Dubai. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
The air control tower at the 2025 Dubai Airshow. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Russian Pantsir-SMD-E missile system on display at this year's Dubai Airshow. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
A up-close look at Russia's Pantsir-SMD-E missile system. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
A crowd of people gather around EDGE Group's booth, where the company is showing off its Jernas-M compact medium-altitude long-endurance drone. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
A major general from Belarus enjoys the 2025 Dubai Airshow. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
US troops check out the Su-57 stealth fighter in the Russian outdoor section of the 2025 Dubai Airshow. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
General Atomics shows its full-scale YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft model at the 2025 Dubai Airshow. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
A KAI KF-21 model alongside drone wingmen. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
The ELT/568-POD escort jammer from ELT Group. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's CH-9 sits on display at the 2025 Dubai Airshow. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
What airshow wouldn't be complete without bagpiping police? (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Models of Russian air defense systems and launchers sit on display at the 2025 Dubai Airshow. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II generated plenty of buzz at the 2025 Dubai Airshow as the US hashed out a deal to sell the stealth fighter to Saudi Arabia. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Russia pitches its Su-57 stealth fighter as an alternative to the F-35. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
China's Wing Loong WL-X is the country's answer to American hunter-killer drones like the MQ-9 Reaper. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Russia's Zala Lancet drone
Russia's Zala Lancet drone acts as a loitering munition as well as a surveillance tool. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Calidus' B250 trainer and light attack aircraft makes an appearance at the airshow. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
Saab is pitching its GlobalEye jet for the airborne early warning and control mission as the US and NATO reconsider earlier contracts. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
The UAE's air force flew the Dassault Mirage 2000-9 fighter during the airshow. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
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