Negotiations over the purchase of the Su-57 entered an active phase in 2019, when an Algerian delegation examined the export version during the MAKS air show in Moscow. The aircraft presented at the event was the Su-57E variant intended for foreign customers.
Russian Su-57E jet test flight reportedly spotted in Algeria along with a flyover by Su-35 jets in Algerian Air Force colors.
Algeria previously signed contracts with Russia for Su-34MEs, Su-57Es, and Su-35s, and in 2024 officially confirmed the Su-57E purchase, becoming the… pic.twitter.com/AzYku5a2L6
— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 8, 2026
Reports later emerged of a contract worth about $2 billion for 14 aircraft, although implementation was repeatedly delayed due to technical issues linked to serial production and the need to adapt avionics to customer requirements. In 2023 and 2024, Russian officials indicated that a foreign buyer for the Su-57 had been secured without naming the country.
At the same time, Algeria prepared air base infrastructure, including the construction of new hangars, and began training pilots in Russia. In 2025, Vadim Badiekha, chief executive of United Aircraft Corporation, said on Russian television that two Su-57 aircraft had been delivered to an undisclosed foreign customer, with media reports unofficially identifying Algeria as the recipient.
