Algerian Air Force Aircraft 2026: Fighters, Helicopters and Fleet Size
Algeria has roughly 620 military aircraft on paper, including about 111 fighters and 300 helicopters, according to Global Firepower’s 2026 estimate, which makes the Algerian Air Force the second-largest on the continent after Egypt’s. That total is an unofficial estimate: Algeria’s Ministry of National Defence does not publish an order of battle. What can be documented is the delivery record: SIPRI’s arms-transfer data show at least 58 Su-30MKA fighters delivered since 2008, 42 Mi-28NE attack helicopters and a steady stream of Russian aircraft now being joined by the Su-35 and, reportedly, the Su-57.
Photo: An Algerian Air Force Il-78 tanker (7T-WIH). Credit: Sergey Lysenko, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Quick answer
Total military aircraft: about 620 (Global Firepower 2026, estimate). Fighters: about 111. Attack aircraft: about 42. Helicopters: about 300, of which about 74 attack helicopters. Backbone fighter: Su-30MKA, 58 delivered in three batches (SIPRI). Newest types: Su-35 (deliveries began 2025) and Su-57E (two delivered to an unnamed customer in November 2025, widely reported as Algeria; not officially confirmed). Drones are counted separately and are not included in these totals.
Data as of 3 November 2026. Fleet totals are open-source estimates; delivery figures come from the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database (data to end-2025). See “A note on the numbers”.
How many fighter jets does Algeria have?
Global Firepower’s 2026 profile credits Algeria with 111 fighters and a further 42 dedicated attack aircraft. Those two categories together, about 153 combat aircraft, are the fairest single answer to “how many fighter jets does Algeria have”, but they are an index estimate rather than a count the Algerian state has released.
The delivery record explains where those numbers come from. SIPRI records three firm Su-30MK(A) batches: 28 ordered in 2006 and delivered in 2008-2009, 16 ordered in 2010 and delivered in 2011-2012, and 14 ordered in 2015 and delivered in 2016 and 2018. That is 58 aircraft delivered. Specialist compilations quoted by The Aviationist in February 2026, drawing on FlightGlobal’s World Air Forces directory, Scramble and the IISS Military Balance, place 63-65 Su-30MKAs in service, a figure that implies further deliveries SIPRI has not itemised. The gap is a source disagreement, not a confirmed fleet size.
Behind the Flankers sit two older Russian strike and fighter lines. SIPRI shows 36 MiG-29S and MiG-29UB aircraft delivered second-hand via Belarus, Ukraine and Russia between 1999 and 2002, followed by 14 new MiG-29M/M2s ordered in 2019, of which 11 had been delivered by the end of 2024. For the Su-24 bomber, SIPRI lists 37 deliveries across several deals between 1991 and 2005; the same Aviationist compilation puts 33 Su-24MK2s in service.
The new generation: Su-35, Su-34 and Su-57
Algeria is in the middle of the most ambitious fighter recapitalisation in Africa. The evidence for each type is different, and it should not be read as one confirmed package.
- Su-35: SIPRI records 14 ordered in 2024 with one delivered in 2025. The War Zone reported in March 2025 that commercial satellite imagery showed an Algerian-marked Su-35 at Oum el Bouaghi, and that the IISS had identified further jets in Algerian markings at the factory in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. How many have arrived since has not been officially stated.
- Su-57E: SIPRI lists 12 ordered in 2024 with no deliveries recorded to the end of 2025. Defense News reported in February 2026 that Russia had confirmed, in November 2025, the delivery of two Su-57s to an unnamed foreign customer, and that leaked Rostec documents pointed to an Algerian order for 12 aircraft. Neither Algiers nor the manufacturer has named Algeria as the buyer. We cover the evidence in detail in Algeria’s Su-57 fleet explained.
- Su-34: The same leaked documents, as reported by Defense News, indicated an order for 14 Su-34 strike aircraft. Delivery has been reported in specialist media but not confirmed by either government, so we list it as reported.
Algerian Air Force aircraft inventory table
| Platform | Variant | Quantity | Status | Source / period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sukhoi Su-30 | Su-30MKA | 58 delivered; 63-65 reported in service | Operational | SIPRI (orders 2006, 2010, 2015); The Aviationist citing WAF 2026 and IISS, Feb 2026 |
| Mikoyan MiG-29 | MiG-29M/M2 | 14 ordered, 11 delivered by 2024 | Operational / delivery under way | SIPRI (2019 order) |
| Mikoyan MiG-29 | MiG-29S/UB (second-hand) | 36 delivered 1999-2002 | Status of older airframes unknown | SIPRI |
| Sukhoi Su-24 | Su-24MK/MK2, Su-24MR | 37 delivered; 33 reported in service | Operational (estimate) | SIPRI; The Aviationist, Feb 2026 |
| Sukhoi Su-35 | Su-35S | 14 ordered; deliveries began 2025 | Delivered (partial) | SIPRI; The War Zone, Mar 2025 |
| Sukhoi Su-57 | Su-57E | 12 reported ordered; 2 delivered to unnamed customer | Reported (not officially confirmed) | SIPRI; Defense News, Feb 2026 |
| Sukhoi Su-34 | Su-34ME | 14 reported ordered | Reported (unconfirmed) | Defense News citing leaked Rostec documents, Feb 2026 |
| Yakovlev Yak-130 | Yak-130 | 16 delivered 2011 | Operational (lead-in trainer) | SIPRI |
| Aero L-39 Albatros | L-39ZA / L-39C | 56 delivered 1987-2003 | Trainer; current number unknown | SIPRI |
| Ilyushin Il-76 / Il-78 | Il-76M; Il-78M tanker | 9 Il-76M; 6 Il-78M delivered | Operational (estimate) | SIPRI |
| Lockheed C-130 Hercules | C-130H, C-130H-30, C-130J-30, LM-100J | 20 C-130H/L-100 family delivered 1981-1990; 4 C-130J family 2022-2024 | Operational | SIPRI |
| Airbus C-295 | C-295 | 6 delivered 2005-2006 | Operational | SIPRI |
| Mil Mi-28 | Mi-28NE | 42 delivered 2016-2018 | Operational | SIPRI |
| Mil Mi-24 | Mi-24 / Mi-35 family | 44 second-hand delivered 1998-2002, plus older Soviet deliveries | Operational (number unknown) | SIPRI |
| Mil Mi-17 family | Mi-8MTV, Mi-171Sh | 47 + 42 delivered 1994-2004 | Operational (estimate) | SIPRI |
| Mil Mi-26 | Mi-26T2 | 14 delivered 2015-2017 | Operational | SIPRI |
| Leonardo AW101 / AW139 | AW101; AW139 | 6 AW101; 14 AW139 delivered; 7 AW139 on order | Operational / ordered | SIPRI |
Quantities marked “delivered” are SIPRI delivery records, not current serviceable aircraft: accidents, retirements and maintenance status are not netted out. Unmanned aircraft are listed separately below and are not counted in the aircraft totals.
Helicopters: Africa’s largest rotary-wing force
Global Firepower’s 300-helicopter estimate is the largest in Africa after Egypt’s 348, and the attack-helicopter share is unusually high. The core is the Mi-28NE: SIPRI records 42 delivered between 2016 and 2018 as part of a broader Russian package. Older Mi-24s, many upgraded, add to that attack fleet. The transport side rests on the Mi-17 family and on 14 Mi-26T2 heavy-lift helicopters delivered in 2015-2017. Western types are used for search-and-rescue, naval and border tasks, including AW101s and AW139s; SIPRI notes that seven more AW139s on order are being assembled in Algeria, and three AW159 Wildcat naval helicopters ordered from the UK are due for delivery in 2027.
Drones
Algeria’s unmanned fleet is mostly Chinese. SIPRI records three CH-4B and five CH-3 drones delivered in 2018, four WJ-700s delivered in 2024, and a 2021 order for 24 Wing Loong II, of which two were recorded as delivered by 2023. Turkish orders for six Aksungur and 12 Anka-S drones appear in SIPRI with no deliveries recorded to the end of 2025. Locally assembled El Djazair 54 drones, derived from the Emirati Yabhon United 40, round out the inventory. None of these is counted as a crewed aircraft in this article.
How Algeria compares with its neighbours
| Country | Total aircraft | Fighters | Helicopters | Attack helicopters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egypt | 1,088 | 242 | 348 | 100 |
| Algeria | 620 | 111 | 300 | 74 |
| Morocco | 271 | 84 | 73 | 6 |
| Tunisia | 155 | 10 | 101 | 0 |
| Libya | 83 | 10 | 22 | 4 |
The comparison with Morocco is the one most readers look for. Algeria fields more fighters and far more helicopters, and its new Russian types outclass anything currently in Moroccan service. Morocco’s answer is quality over quantity: 25 F-16 Block 72s on order and the upgrade of its existing F-16 fleet, plus Apache attack helicopters. Our Morocco vs Algeria comparison covers the wider balance.
Context: why the fleet is so Russian
SIPRI’s trend-indicator values for 2021-2025 put Russia at 39% of Algeria’s major arms imports, ahead of China (27%) and Germany (18%), and the air force shows why. The large 2006 package agreed with Moscow, widely reported alongside the write-off of Algeria’s Soviet-era debt, produced the first Su-30MKA, MiG-29 and Yak-130 orders, and later Russian packages added the Mi-28NE and Mi-26T2. Western suppliers are present at the margins, in transport (C-130, C-295) and in naval and utility helicopters. Our analysis of Algeria’s Russian-built arsenal and its supplier dependence sets out what that concentration means for maintenance and sanctions risk.
Frequently asked questions
How many fighter jets does Algeria have in 2026?
About 111 fighters plus 42 attack aircraft, according to Global Firepower’s 2026 estimate. Algeria does not publish an official figure. The Su-30MKA is the most numerous modern type, with 58 delivered according to SIPRI and 63-65 reported in service by specialist directories.
Does Algeria have the Su-57?
Probably, but it is not officially confirmed. Russia said in November 2025 that two Su-57s had been delivered to an unnamed foreign customer, and leaked Rostec documents reported by Defense News pointed to an Algerian order for 12. Algeria has not confirmed the purchase.
How many helicopters does Algeria have?
About 300, including about 74 attack helicopters, according to Global Firepower’s 2026 estimate. SIPRI records 42 Mi-28NE attack helicopters and 14 Mi-26T2 heavy-lift helicopters among the deliveries since 2015.
Is Algeria’s air force bigger than Morocco’s?
Yes, by every available count. Global Firepower estimates 620 aircraft for Algeria against 271 for Morocco, and 111 fighters against 84.
Are drones included in these totals?
No. Military drones such as the CH-4B, Wing Loong II and WJ-700 are counted separately and are not included in the aircraft totals in this article.
Related reading
- Algeria military strength
- Algeria’s Su-30MKA fleet explained
- Su-30 family explained: every Flanker variant in African service
- Egypt vs Algeria military power
- Africa’s largest air forces, ranked
- How many tanks does Algeria have? (coming soon)
A note on the numbers
Official: none. Algeria’s defence ministry does not publish aircraft counts. Estimated: the class totals (620 aircraft, 111 fighters, 300 helicopters) come from Global Firepower’s 2026 index, which does not disclose its method in detail. Delivery records: SIPRI’s database, updated in March 2026 with data to the end of 2025, records deliveries rather than current serviceable fleets, and SIPRI itself notes that Algeria is secretive about arms imports. Contradicted between sources: Su-30MKA numbers (58 delivered per SIPRI against 63-65 in service per directories) and MiG-29 figures. Reported but unconfirmed: the Su-57 and Su-34 orders and the exact number of Su-35s delivered. We have not described base locations beyond what the cited reporting already names.
Sources
- SIPRI Arms Transfers Database, transfer register for Algeria, 1960-2025 (database updated 9 March 2026), accessed 3 November 2026
- Global Firepower (unofficial index), 2026 Algeria Military Strength, accessed 3 November 2026
- The Aviationist, Algeria’s First Su-57E Reportedly Captured in Flight (11 February 2026), accessed 3 November 2026
- Defense News, Russian stealth jets have arrived in North Africa (10 February 2026), accessed 3 November 2026
- The War Zone, Su-35s Once Expected To Arm Iran Are Now In Algeria (March 2025), accessed 3 November 2026
Last updated: 3 November 2026.
