North Africa | Algeria Reportedly Becomes First Export Customer of Russian Su-57 Stealth Fighter
Oasis Media Collective | North Africa Wire | February 13, 2026
KEY FACTS
Social media video footage allegedly shows a Russian Su-57 stealth fighter in Algerian airspace near Oum El Bouaghi Air Base, potentially confirming Algeria as the first export customer of the Su-57E variant.
Despite February 2025 reports from Algerian and Russian media indicating a deal, neither government has publicly verified the acquisition, though Russia acknowledged an unnamed export customer.
The alleged purchase deepens Algeria’s Russian military ties amid tensions with Morocco, which is a prominent customer of Western aircraft.
Algeria faces regional instability with violent insurgencies in neighboring Mali and Niger.
ALGIERS, ALGERIA — Grainy video footage circulating on social media allegedly depicts a Russian Su-57 stealth fighter operating in Algerian airspace, likely near Oum El Bouaghi Air Base. If true, it would confirm multiple reports of Algeria being the first export customer of the Russian Su-57E export variant. However, no official Algerian or Russian government statement has publicly confirmed this yet.
Reports from Algerian state media and Russian industry outlets in February 2025 indicated that Algiers had entered an agreement to acquire the aircraft. Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation and JSC Rosoboronexport, the state arms export agency, would later acknowledge an export customer of the Su-57, but did not specify the buyer. Analysts speculated Algeria to be the customer, given the previous reports.
According to Muslim Network TV, Algeria’s air force is a prominent customer of Russian-made aircraft, such as the Su-24, Su-30, Su-34, and MiG-29. If the alleged Algerian acquisition of the Su-57E is true, that would only deepen Algiers’ military ties to Moscow.
The reported acquisition comes against a backdrop of increasing insecurity in Northwest Africa. Two of Algeria’s neighbors, Mali and Niger, remain locked in a violent insurgency that Algiers is concerned of spillover. Last April, Algeria shot down a Malian military drone near their border, sparking a major diplomatic crisis. While Algeria claimed that the drone violated its airspace, Mali countered, describing the move as “hostile” and taking the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ ruled it could not proceed with the case without Algerian consent.
The move also comes during sustained tensions with Algeria’s regional rival, Morocco, over the Western Sahara. Morocco has been a top purchaser of Western aircraft, such as the French Rafale and American F-16. Algiers’ deepening of defense ties with Russia in turn serves as a counterbalance to Rabat’s own defense footprint. Although the two countries have recently agreed to proceed with peace talks over the Western Sahara, it is yet to be seen if such discussions produce long-lasting peace between the two regional rivals.
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