Aircraft

Algeria seeks additional batch of Su-30MKA fighters

By Vladimir Karnozov

Algeria has filed a request with Russia's Rosoboronexport arms agency for a further batch of 14-16 Sukhoi Su-30MKA multirole fighters, while also demanding that Moscow compensate it for an initial $250 million payment linked to its cancelled $1.3 billion deal for 36 RSK MiG-29s.

Ordered in March 2006 under an $8 billion sale also covering the supply of 28 Su-30MKAs worth $2.5 billion and 16 Yakovlev Yak-130A trainers, the MiG-29 deal collapsed after Algeria said its first 12 MiG-29SMT single-seat fighters and three MiG-29UBT two-seat operational trainers failed to meet contractual specifications. Russia agreed in February that the aircraft could be returned to their manufacturer, but a financial settlement has yet to be finalised.

Algeria has received six Su-30MKAs since mid-2007, with another four to arrive by the end of May and six more to follow in December 2008. "If the contract for the additional batch gets signed, deliveries can start in 2011, after completion of deliveries on the initial contract in 2010", says NPK Irkut president Oleg Demchenko.