Algeria confirms acquisition of Su-57

Algeria finally confirmed on February 12 that it is the first customer of the fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 fighter, and that pilots are currently undergoing training in Russia. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in late 2025.

IMAGE: Shrey Chopra

Russia’s fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 will be delivered to Algeria by the end of 2025. It is seen here at Aero India 25 airshow in February. Like Algeria, the Indian Air Force also operates Su-30s seen in the background. IMAGE: Shrey Chopra

Alexander Mikheyev, the head of Russia’s state-owned Rosoboronexport defence agency had confirmed the first foreign client would receive the first aircraft in 2025.

It was announced at China’s Zhuhai Airshow in November last year that there was a first customer for the Sukhoi, which attended the Aero India 24 airshow in mid-February.

Unconfirmed reports would suggest that 14 aircraft were on order to replace the MiG-25 Foxbats retired in June 2022, and that more enhanced versions would eventually arrive later in the decade to replace the MiG-29 Fulcrums and Su-24 Fencer fleets.

Speculation that the Algerian Air Force had ordered the Su-57s surfaced in 2020 when Algerian military officers were seen viewing the model with Russian officials on state TV.

The Su-57 has been involved in combat operations in Syria (2018) and Ukraine (2022) where undoubtedly it would have been used for test and evaluation in combat, allowing both the air force and Rosboronexport to correct any issues that may have arisen.

The acquisition will go some way to cutting the capability gap the Royal Moroccan Air Force is opening up against long-time foe the Algeria Air Force, with the former set to enhance its Lockheed Martin F-16 fleets in addition to having aspirations to acquire the USA’s fifth-gen F-35 (see other news).

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