RuAviation

Recent photographs of a Su-34ME strike fighter in distinctive orange-tan desert camouflage paint scheme have surfaced online, providing indirect evidence of foreign procurement and export preparation. While Iran was previously speculated as a potential Su-34 customer, Algeria emerges as the most likely recipient of these aircraft, given its long-standing partnership with Russia in military-technical cooperation.

Reports of Algeria’s potential Su-34 acquisition first appeared in 2015. In 2019, Algerian publication Menadefense.net reported the signing of contracts for 14 Su-57 fighters, plus two additional contracts for 14 Su-34 bombers and 14 Su-35S fighters. The deal included options for two more squadrons of 14 aircraft per type to compensate for the natural fleet reduction expected in the coming years. Algeria maintains extensive experience with Soviet and Russian aviation technology. The country’s air force currently operates Su-30MKI(A) variants, various MiG-29 modifications, Yak-130 advanced trainers, Be-200 amphibious aircraft, and Mi-28NE attack helicopters. Su-35s have recently joined this fleet, with Su-57s expected to follow shortly.

Su-34ME deliveries align logically with Algeria’s comprehensive air force modernization program. In 2024, The National Interest reported that Su-35S fighters had already arrived in-country, while local media reported orders for fifth-generation Su-57E fighters. These contracts hold particular significance for Russia, providing not only foreign currency revenue but also strengthening positions in the competitive arms market amid sanctions pressure.

Earlier this year, Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation announced that the first foreign Su-57E customer would begin operations before the end of 2025. While Russia has not officially named the recipient country, media reports consistently point to Algeria. This makes it highly probable that the spotted Su-34ME was indeed destined for Algerian service.

The export-variant Su-34ME retains impressive combat capabilities, including the Sh-141 onboard radar with target detection range up to 100 km and compatibility with modern R-77-1 and R-77M air-to-air missiles. This enables the aircraft to perform not only strike missions with Kh-59MK2 and Kh-31PD missiles but also effectively counter potential adversary fighters such as F-16s or Rafales. For ground targets, the aircraft can deploy the precision “Product 64” Kh-29T missile with Tubus-2 television guidance system.

The Su-34ME features comprehensive integration with modern precision munitions, particularly guided aerial bombs equipped with Unified Planning and Correction Modules (UMPC). This capability transforms the bomber into a versatile strike platform capable of precisely engaging both hardened stationary targets and mobile objectives. For Algeria, which faces ongoing counterterrorism operations across the vast Sahel region, this qualitative enhancement of aviation strike capabilities holds strategic importance, while opening long-term cooperation prospects for Russia’s defense industry in modern munitions supply and maintenance.

The Su-34ME’s key competitive advantage over Western counterparts lies in its compatibility with Russia’s extensive guided bomb inventory, including variants combat-proven during recent military operations. This provides Algeria with significant cost savings compared to expensive Western alternatives, plus operational flexibility ranging from precision strikes with guided missiles to large-scale bombing campaigns against protected targets. Consequently, the contract represents a genuine long-term strategic partnership beneficial to both parties.