Russia has seemingly commenced manufacturing Sukhoi Su-34M supersonic strike jets for Algeria, lending weight to prior reports of a weapons deal between Moscow and an undisclosed foreign buyer.
Satellite and open-source analysis by Military Watch Magazine in Seoul revealed several Su-34Ms painted in a unique desert brown-and-yellow camouflage—widely recognized as matching Algeria’s military color scheme.
While both Algeria and North Korea were cited as possible destinations, the desert tones and Algeria’s previous purchases from Russia strongly suggest that the country’s first export batch of Su-34Ms is now under production.
According to Business Insider Africa, Algerian defense authorities in December 2019 placed an order for 14 Su-34MEs, 14 Su-57Es, and 14 Su-35Es, with deliveries expected to conclude by 2025. The new Su-34Ms would likely replace the Algerian Air Force’s veteran Su-24M strike aircraft.
If confirmed, Algeria would become the inaugural overseas operator of the Su-34M, further cementing its position as Africa’s most heavily armed air power and highlighting Russia’s deepening defense ties on the continent.
Analysts note that at a price of less than $10 million per aircraft for Algeria, the Su-34M offers a cost-effective yet potent enhancement to its aerial strike capabilities. The aircraft’s long endurance and extended missile range could also give Algeria the ability to engage targets far beyond its borders, possibly reaching as far as the Persian Gulf or central Europe.
