Russia prioritizes the sale of its fighter jets to Africa’s second-most powerful military even as it struggles with low sales and supply to everyone else

• Algeria has expanded its military arsenal by receiving more Russian fighter jets, strengthening its defense pact with Moscow.
• This year, Algeria obtained a batch of Russian Su-34M strike fighters as part of a larger arms agreement.
• Russia's export of combat aircraft, including to Algeria, continues despite experiencing a low in domestic fighter jet sales and some equipment losses.
• Algeria is expected to receive several advanced Russian aircraft models, highlighting its commitment to maintaining a modern air force.

The North African country of Algeria has, this year, expanded its military arsenal from Russia, strengthening a defence pact with Moscow centered around the Kremlin’s supply of fighter jets.

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Algeria received a batch of Russian Su-34M strike fighters in May.

These supplies are part of a larger military arrangement between Algiers and Moscow.

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These supplies are also coming as Russia is said to have recorded an annual low in its home-made fighter jet sales.

Russia struggles with fighter jet sales in the current fiscal year

Information and data seen on Defense24 show that Moscow handed a new batch of Su-35S aircraft to the military at the end of August, bringing its total supply of combat aircraft to 14 this year so far.

While there is still a quarter left in the year, the figure represents a rather low total in comparison to prior years when Russia provided more than 20 and, in some circumstances, even 30 aircraft to partner nations.

Russia has also experienced losses this year, with at least eight aircraft reported lost and two damaged.

According to TASS, citing United Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of the Rostec state conglomerate, Russia's projected domestic deliveries this year now include six Su-35S fighters, four Su-57s, two Su-34 bombers, and two Su-30SM2 multirole fighters.

However, Moscow continues to fulfill export orders, delivering aircraft to Belarus, Myanmar, and one of its most important African military partners, Algeria.

As seen on Defense24, Russian deliveries of export aircraft are underway to Algeria (at least four Su-34s delivered this year).

Algeria’s combat jets from Russia

For Algeria, the steady arrival of Russian aircraft highlights the depth of its defence partnership with Moscow and its determination to maintain a modern air force as military competition grows across North Africa.

    In May, as mentioned earlier, **Algeria received a new batch of Russian Su-34M strike fighters**, adding to an already large fleet of modern Russian aircraft.

Algerian defense journals earlier indicated that the government had bought some combat aircraft from Moscow, consisting of 14 Su-34ME, 14 Su-35E, and 14 Su-57E fifth-generation fighters.

The agreement was apparently reached some years ago, before Russia invaded Ukraine, which drastically altered the global defense market and affected Moscow's ties with Western nations.

In August, Russia unveiled an export version of its Il-78MK-90A aerial refuelling tanker.

The move has fuelled speculation that Algeria could eventually acquire the aircraft, which would give its fighter fleet greater range and allow aircraft to remain airborne for longer during operations.

For Russia, Algeria is also an important export market at a time when its domestic aviation industry is under pressure to supply its own armed forces.