Russia Sold 48 Su-35 Jets to Iran, 16 to Ethiopia Besides 12 Su-57 to Algeria: Leaked Docs

Russia has sold 48 Su-35 fighter jets to Iran, 16 to Ethiopia, and 12 Su-57 stealth aircraft to Algeria, according to recently leaked documents reportedly from state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec.

The documents allegedly include internal mail, PowerPoint presentations, and logistics information covering Russia's weapons exports, covering the terms of price, delivery timelines, and attempts to avoid international sanctions. Their contents align with previous reports covering Moscow's deals with these nations, despite the documents not having been independently verified.

The documents list Iran, Algeria, and Ethiopia under Russian customer codes "364," "012," and "231" respectively. The data reveals that Iran bought 48 Su-35 multirole fighters, Algeria ordered 12 Su-57 fifth-generation planes and 14 Su-34 attack aircraft, while Ethiopia bought six Su-35s.

If confirmed, these deals would be Russia's biggest fighter jet exports since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, demonstrating its growing defense cooperation with non-Western nations.

The leaked documents also point to contracts by Rostec-owned KRET that makes avionics and electronic warfare systems for the plane's export configurations.

Delivery schedules indicate that Iran's Su-35 components will be delivered 16–18 and 46–48 months after prepaying. If payments were made in 2022, deliveries would range from 2024 to 2026, and completed aircraft would range from 2026 to 2028 upon assembly and testing.

For Algeria, component procurement of Su-57 and Su-34 is scheduled for 2024 to 2026. This is consistent with previous reports that Algeria may be the first foreign operator of the Su-57.

In March 2024, the Algerian Air Force reportedly made its first operational flight of Su-35s out of Oum Bouaghi Air Base, as part of contracts signed prior to or just after the Ukraine war.

Rostec and the Russian Defense Ministry have so far remained silent on the leaked documents.