From Cairo to Algiers: Russia’s Su-35s Find New Warfronts as Iran Prepares for “Super Sukhoi” Surge
Imagery captured on 10 March 2025 unmistakably confirms the deployment of at least one Su-35 at Ain Beida/Oum el Bouaghi Air Base in northeastern Algeria, with the aircraft clearly displaying the national roundel of the Algerian Air Force on its upper port wing, cementing its operational status within the force.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Algeria has officially joined the ranks of advanced airpower operators with the induction of the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35 (Flanker-E) multirole fighters, as confirmed by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) on 8 April 2025—a milestone previously reported by Defence Security Asia and now corroborated by high-resolution satellite intelligence.
Imagery captured on 10 March 2025 unmistakably confirms the deployment of at least one Su-35 at Ain Beida/Oum el Bouaghi Air Base in northeastern Algeria, with the aircraft clearly displaying the national roundel of the Algerian Air Force on its upper port wing, cementing its operational status within the force.
This revelation builds upon earlier evidence dated 2 March 2025, showing a Russian Air Force Antonov An-124 strategic airlifter loading a Su-35 airframe at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant, painted in a camouflage pattern closely resembling that originally commissioned by Egypt—a telltale sign of redirected military assets.
The same An-124 was subsequently tracked arriving at Ain Beida Air Base on 5 March 2025, reinforcing the likelihood of a direct transfer from Russian military storage facilities to Algerian operational units—indicative of Moscow’s flexibility in reallocating stalled export orders to politically aligned partners.
Further satellite imagery has confirmed that at least four more Su-35 fighters originally manufactured for Egypt have now been repainted in Algerian Air Force insignia, suggesting a quiet but deliberate absorption of previously undelivered platforms into Algeria’s expanding combat aviation fleet.
These aircraft were initially part of a controversial procurement deal with Cairo, but mounting geopolitical pressure—including threats of U.S. sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA)—effectively blocked their delivery, leaving the fleet in limbo until now.
Sukhoi Su-35 (Flanker-E)Assembly of Sukhoi Su-35
While Iran had long been floated as the likely recipient of these orphaned fighters, the visible arrival of Su-35s in Algeria marks a notable strategic pivot—one that bolsters Algiers’ deterrence posture amid growing instability in North Africa and the Sahel.
In March 2025, Algeria reportedly initiated training flights with the Su-35 from Oum el Bouaghi, a development that underscores the country’s intensifying military-technical alignment with Russia, especially significant as Moscow recalibrates its forward presence following the loss of its strategic air base in Syria.
Though the Algerian government has made no public declarations, multiple defence sources indicate that a deal for 24 Su-35 units was quietly signed with Russia as early as 2018, reflecting a long-term ambition to modernize and diversify Algeria’s aerial strike capabilities.
Algeria, previously reported as the inaugural foreign customer for Russia’s fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 “Felon”, now appears to be deepening its investment in Russian airpower, with the Su-35 serving as a complementary 4.5-generation platform known for its exceptional agility, thrust-vectoring, and advanced Irbis-E radar system.
Despite Algeria’s recent induction, speculation surrounding Iran’s acquisition of Su-35s has not abated, with several reports pointing to an initial batch en route to Tehran—though open-source intelligence has yet to produce definitive imagery akin to that seen in Algeria.
(kredit IISS)
Back in 2019, Washington had issued a categorical warning that the sale of Su-35s to Egypt would activate CAATSA-related sanctions, a threat that contributed to Cairo’s subsequent reluctance to take delivery of the aircraft despite their completion.
Nevertheless, production of the aircraft moved forward, and by 2021, at least 12 Su-35 units earmarked for Egypt had rolled off the production line and were visibly parked in open storage at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur facility, awaiting reassignment.
By 2022, full production of the Egyptian order was reportedly completed, yet delivery remained indefinitely suspended—further entrenching the aircraft in an uncertain geopolitical holding pattern.
Following the expiration of the UN arms embargo on Iran in October 2020, military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow has surged, catalysed in part by Iran’s own arms transfers to Russia for use in Ukraine, and signalling a deepening strategic partnership between the two U.S.-sanctioned states.
Initially, Tehran had expressed interest in the Sukhoi Su-30SM Flanker-H as a logical replacement for its antiquated Grumman F-14 Tomcats—Cold War-era interceptors that remain operational despite decades of obsolescence.
(kredit IISS)
However, the Su-35 soon emerged as a superior candidate, capable of not only replacing the F-14s but also supplanting Iran’s ageing fleet of McDonnell Douglas F-4D/E Phantoms, still deployed in limited numbers across the Islamic Republic’s western airbases.
According to an investigative report by German defence publication Flugrevue, the first two Su-35s destined for Iran were discreetly transferred during a closed-door handover at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association (KnAAPO) facility in Russia’s Far East.
The report claims that the aircraft were disassembled into modular components and transported aboard a Russian Air Force Antonov An-124-100 to Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport under strict operational security.
Upon arrival, the components were reportedly moved to Hamadan Air Base for final assembly—a move that marks the formal integration of 4.5-generation fighters into Iran’s frontline airpower structure for the first time in over four decades.
The Flugrevue report further notes that Iran intends to station these Su-35SE aircraft at Isfahan, where they will eventually replace the remaining F-14s assigned to the city’s long-range interceptor squadrons.
Notably, updated figures suggest that Iran could receive as many as 50 Su-35s—far exceeding the initial estimates of 24 units—positioning the Islamic Republic to launch a comprehensive renewal of its air combat fleet.
(kredit IISS)
Such an expansion would allow Iran to begin decommissioning elements of its venerable F-4 Phantom fleet, particularly those operating with the elite 31st Tactical Squadron stationed in Hamadan—an area increasingly critical to Iran’s western air defence network.
Defence Security Asia previously reported that six Su-35 fighters are scheduled to be delivered to Iran imminently, with Hamadan Air Base identified as the likely recipient based on infrastructure upgrades and operational planning.
According to open-source defence platforms and social media disclosures, these six aircraft—dubbed “Super Sukhois” for their enhanced avionics and radar profiles—will be flown into Iran by Russian pilots before formal handover to the Iranian Air Force.
These six jets are widely believed to constitute the first wave of a larger delivery schedule that will unfold over the coming months and potentially extend into subsequent years, depending on geopolitical developments and defence-industrial capacity.
The arrival of Su-35s at Hamadan coincides with a flurry of military construction activity at the base, including the building of hardened aircraft shelters and underground facilities—clear indicators of Iran’s intent to secure its next-generation combat assets against preemptive strikes.
