Algeria to acquire “Sokhoy-30” fighters instead of “MIG -29”

The Russian newspaper “Komersent” Thursday reported that Algeria expressed the need before Russian authorities to buy more fighters of the type “SO -30”, instead of the “MIG -29” returned to sender following technical problems.The new deal announces the acquisition of 28 “SOKHOY” fighters set to be delivered by the Russian company” Irkut” before the end of the year 2010.

As to the previous deal sealed by the to countries for the acquisition of 34 “MIG-29” of a value of $ 3.1 billions, this one was cancelled because the electronic devices do not meet the high quality standards required in the latest generation of these fighters. But the Russian side considers the Algerian U-Turn as merely political, referring to this later intent to strike a deal for the acquisition of French fighters and give up the Russian ones.

In this respect, a well informed source revealed that the Algerian authorities didn’t cancel any of the deals previously signed with Russia in relation to armament owing to the excellent relations between both countries in this field, in addition to the perfect mastery by the Algerian air force officers of the Russian fighters, in comparison to the French or US ones.