Algeria Purchases 14 Advanced Russian Su-57 Stealth Fighters for $2 Billion

The Algerian Ministry of Defense, as part of negotiations with the Russian military, has reached an agreement on the purchase of the latest Russian Su-57 jets worth nearly two billion dollars, reports the Russian specialized website Avia.pro.

This contract makes Algeria the world’s first export destination for this "fifth generation" multi-role fighter aircraft and the second country in the world, after Russia, to own it.

In December 2019, the military news site Menadefense reported that Algeria had concluded two other contracts related to the acquisition of 14 long-range Su-34 bombers and 14 Su-35 aircraft.

Algeria is the largest arms exporter in Africa ahead of Morocco. Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) indicate that the country’s military spending was around $10.334 billion in 2019 compared to $9.584 billion in 2018, an increase of 7.83%.