Footage Shows Two Su-57 Fighters Operating Over Algeria a Year After Russia Began Deliveries

New footage released on November 14 has shown two Algerian Air Force Su-57 fifth generation fighters operating over the country, a year after the first deliveries were reported in November 2025. Algeria became the first foreign customer for the Su-57, which represented the first ever export of a fifth generation fighter type other than the U.S. F-35. The appearance of two fighters together may suggest that the program is moving beyond the initial delivery of individual aircraft towards establishing a sustained operational presence. The development also represents a major milestone for Russia's defence export industry, which has sought to secure international customers for the Su-57, and is reported to have already secured orders from two other clients. 

The Su-57 is expected to provide a substantial improvement over some of the older aircraft previously operated by the Algerian Air Force, particularly its MiG-25PD interceptors. The MiG-25 was he fastest operational combat aircraft ever developed, but its design originated in the 1960s and was increasingly limited by the age of its avionics, sensors and weapons integration. The Su-57 offers a much more sophisticated combination of reduced radar observability, electronically scanned radar, electro-optical sensors, electronic warfare systems and internal weapons carriage. Although significantly higher and slower, it is more than two generations ahead in terms of sophistication, and is far better suited to modern beyond visual range air-to-air engagements. The Su-57 is also much more versatile than the MiG-25PD, and can be used for air-to-ground and anti-shipping operations. 

The Su-57s’ armament is particularly important for Algeria's regional requirements. Its internal weapons bays are designed to accommodate beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, including the R-77M, while shorter-range weapons such as the R-74M2 provide an additional close-combat capability. The aircraft can also employ precision-guided air-to-ground weapons, including the Kh-69 cruise missile, allowing it to conduct strike missions while retaining a reduced radar signature. The combination of long-range missiles, advanced sensors and low-observable characteristics could make the Su-57 particularly useful for threatening high-value aircraft and monitoring airspace over the western Mediterranean and North Africa. The precise weapons and avionics configuration supplied to Algeria has not been publicly established however. 

In late August it was reported that the Kazakhstan Air Force was scheduled to receive its first fifth generation fighter aircraft within two years, with reports from multiple sources having indicated that the orders for the Su-57 were already placed. In February, speaking at the Innoprom exhibition in Saudi Arabia, Russian Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov announced that contracts have already been signed in the Middle East region for the export of the Su-57. While Syria and Iraq were during the Cold War the primary regional clients for Russia armaments, both saw their governments toppled by Western-led military interventions, while Yemen, which was a more minor client, was deeply destabilised from 2011, leaving Iran as the only likely regional client for the aircraft. Both Iran and Kazakhstan have also ordered the Su-30, which is also the primary fighter type of the Algerian Air Force.