Algeria is officially the first foreign customer of Russia’s Su-57E stealth fighter, a fifth-generation jet developed under the PAK FA program by Sukhoi, marking a significant shift in the global arms landscape and the evolution of air power in North Africa. Confirmed by Russian defense sources and Algerian state media, the deal involves the delivery of an initial batch of six Su-57E aircraft, with operational deployment expected to begin before the end of 2025.
This development comes amid growing global interest in next-generation air superiority platforms, rising regional tensions, and Algeria’s strategic ambition to maintain air dominance in the Maghreb and Sahel regions. The move places Algeria among a very exclusive group of air forces fielding stealth aircraft and signals both trust in Russia’s aerospace capabilities and a calculated hedge against rival powers.
Hints of Algeria’s procurement of the Su-57E emerged as early as Airshow China 2024, when Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport suggested an imminent foreign sale. The speculation was further substantiated by Alexander Mikheev, Rosoboronexport’s director, during Aero India 2025. He confirmed a foreign client would begin flying the Su-57E this year, without naming the country.
But it was only on May 22, 2025, at the MILEX defense exhibition in Minsk, that Russian officials tacitly acknowledged Algeria’s identity through various unofficial confirmations and off-record briefings. Concurrently, Algerian state television ran a special broadcast on the arrival of pilots for advanced training in Russia, indirectly confirming the partnership.
Algerian Air Force pilots are already undergoing intensive conversion training in Russia. These are not mere classroom sessions; they involve live-fly simulations, systems management, and combat maneuver doctrine tailored to the Su-57E’s capabilities. The scope of the training suggests Algeria intends to integrate the aircraft rapidly and effectively into its operational squadrons, likely replacing older MiG-25 interceptors or supplementing its Su-30MKA fleet.
Training will include networked combat scenarios using unmanned teaming concepts, a capability the Su-57 was designed to support in tandem with drones such as the S-70 Okhotnik. This integration hints at Algeria’s broader vision for a modernized, AI-enabled air force.
The Su-57E is the export variant of Russia’s first fifth-generation fighter. Its development began in the early 2000s as part of the PAK FA (Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation) initiative. The platform combines low-observable design with extreme maneuverability and advanced avionics.
- Low radar cross-section thanks to composite materials, radar-absorbent coating, and internal weapon bays.
- Supermaneuverability, achieved through thrust-vectoring engines and digital flight controls.
- High-speed capability, exceeding Mach 2, and a service ceiling of 20,000 meters.
- Long-range endurance, with up to 7,800 km possible using dual aerial refueling.
Multirole functionality, capable of executing air superiority, strike, and naval missions under all-weather conditions.
Its avionics are centered around the N036 Belka AESA radar system, a distributed array that includes X-band radar in the nose, L-band radar in the wings, and side-looking sensors—enabling 360-degree situational awareness and advanced electronic warfare capabilities.
The cockpit features a next-gen glass interface with an adaptive ejection seat and automated oxygen generation, enhancing pilot survivability and endurance in extended sorties.
The Su-57E can carry up to 7,500 kg of ordnance across six internal and 12 external stations. Internal carriage ensures stealth is preserved during the opening phases of a mission, while external pylons allow flexibility for lower-threat environments.
Weapons integration:
- Air-to-air: R-77M active radar-guided missiles, R-74M2 short-range IR missiles.
- Air-to-ground: Kh-38, Kh-69, and Grom-E1 precision missiles.
- Anti-radiation: Kh-58USHKE for targeting enemy radar systems.
- Guided bombs: KAB-250, KAB-500, and UPAБ-1500Б-E.
- Internal cannon: 30 mm 9A1-4071K for close air engagements.
The aircraft can also team with unmanned assets like the S-70, opening possibilities for coordinated strikes, data-sharing, and distributed operations.
Algeria’s choice reflects a broader strategic calculus. The North African nation has traditionally relied on Soviet and Russian platforms, building a robust fleet around the Su-30MKA, MiG-29, and MiG-25. It also operates formidable air defense systems like the S-300PMU-2.
By choosing the Su-57E, Algeria ensures continuity in training, logistics, and doctrine, while leapfrogging to fifth-generation capability at a lower cost. The Su-57E’s estimated unit price of $50 million is significantly below the F-35’s $80 million or the F-22’s now-discontinued price tag exceeding $150 million.
Regional analysts believe the aircraft will provide Algeria with a qualitative edge, particularly over Morocco, which recently signed defense deals with the United States but has yet to acquire fifth-generation aircraft.
Despite the excitement, the Su-57’s record is not without blemish. Only 22 units had been produced (including prototypes) as of late 2023. Issues with the engine—specifically the delayed integration of the second-stage Izdeliye 30—and concerns over the radar and electronic warfare systems have prompted critics to question the aircraft’s maturity.
India, once a partner in the FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) project based on the Su-57, withdrew in 2018 due to concerns about radar cross-section, sensor fusion, and production quality.
These doubts persist, and Algeria’s decision places it at the frontier of a high-risk, high-reward bet. If Russia can deliver on promised upgrades—especially around engine performance and AI-integration—the Su-57E could reshape Algeria’s role as a regional air power.
For Russia, this marks the first tangible export success for its next-gen fighter. The Su-57E’s performance in Algerian hands will be closely watched by potential buyers such as Vietnam, Myanmar, Iran, and potentially even countries in Latin America.
Success in Algeria would not only validate Russia’s aerospace ambitions but also provide a critical lifeline to its defense industry, which has been under pressure due to sanctions, resource constraints, and prioritization of domestic orders.
This deal also helps Russia project influence in the Mediterranean and North Africa, where France, the U.S., and China are all vying for strategic presence.
The first six jets are due to be delivered by the end of 2025. Subsequent orders may follow if operational integration proceeds smoothly. Observers expect that Algeria may eventually operate up to two dozen Su-57Es, depending on economic and geopolitical dynamics.
If the aircraft proves reliable, Algeria’s adoption may open the gates for a “second wave” of exports to middle-tier powers seeking affordable fifth-generation capability. However, any performance flaws or political backlash could set the program back substantially.
Algeria’s acquisition of the Su-57E represents more than a military purchase—it’s a strategic signal. It says that fifth-generation warfare is no longer the exclusive domain of NATO or wealthy Asian states. And it positions Algeria as a central player in reshaping how stealth, autonomy, and electronic warfare are wielded outside the traditional superpower.
