Sudan and Chad have the largest listed fleets of the Sukhoi Su-25 “Frogfoot” ground-attack jet in Africa, about nine each in the listings we used, followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo with four to six. Chad’s figure comes from an undated summary on Wikipedia. Sudan has lost jets in its war since 2023, and a DRC Su-25 was hit by a missile in 2023. Equatorial Guinea and Niger were listed as operational in 2021, and Ethiopia reactivated three by 2013; their current status is unconfirmed. SIPRI records Su-25 deliveries to 10 African states since 1988. Angola reportedly withdrew its fleet in 2025, French forces destroyed Ivorian aircraft in 2004, and Mali lost both of its jets in 2022-2023. Most of the aircraft arrived second-hand from Ukraine or Belarus.
Quick answer
Largest listed fleets: Sudan (about 9; losses since 2023) and Chad (about 9, undated listing), then DR Congo (4-6; one hit by a missile in 2023). Listed, status unconfirmed: Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Niger. Former: Angola (withdrawn 2025), Côte d’Ivoire (an unspecified number destroyed 2004), Mali (both lost 2022-2023), The Gambia (1 aircraft, no combat aircraft by 2026). Largest delivered fleet: Sudan, about 19 delivered 2008-2019 (SIPRI estimate). Main suppliers: Ukraine and Belarus (second-hand).
Data verified on 7 November 2026. Deliveries from SIPRI (1960-2025); in-service status from FlightGlobal-based directories and specialist reporting. Air forces do not publish Su-25 numbers.
Why the Su-25 suits African air forces
The Su-25 is a heavily armoured, subsonic close air support jet designed to operate from rough airstrips. Second-hand airframes from Ukraine and Belarus were cheap after the Cold War, and the type needs less infrastructure than a supersonic fighter, which made it the jet of choice for air forces fighting insurgencies in the Sahel, Darfur and eastern Congo. Sudan and Mali have lost Su-25s since 2022, and a DRC jet was hit by a missile in 2023.
Su-25 operators in Africa
| Country | Variant / supplier | Delivered (SIPRI) | Status, 2026 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sudan | Su-25, Su-25UB (Belarus) | 15 (2008-2010) + 4 (2019) | Listed: about 9 (FlightGlobal 2026); at least 4 destroyed in 2023 | SIPRI; FlightGlobal via DM Sudan profile; Oryx via Wikipedia |
| Chad | Su-25, Su-25UB (Ukraine) | 6 (2008-2010) + 4 (2013) | Listed: about 7 single-seat + 2 two-seat (FlightGlobal-based listing, year not stated); current activity unconfirmed | SIPRI; Wikipedia (Chadian Air Force) |
| DR Congo | Su-25 (Georgia, Ukraine) | 10 (1999-2000) + 2 (2012) | Listed: 4 (FlightGlobal 2021, via Wikipedia) to about 6 (undated 2025 defenceWeb profile); one hit by a missile 2023; Wikipedia also records a 2026 crash we could not confirm from a primary source | SIPRI; FlightGlobal; defenceWeb; The Drive |
| Equatorial Guinea | Su-25, Su-25UB (Ukraine) | 4 (2007-2009) | Listed operational in 2021; current status unconfirmed | SIPRI; FlightGlobal 2021 |
| Ethiopia | Su-25TK, Su-25UB (Russia) | 4 (2000) | 3 reactivated by 2013; current number unknown | SIPRI; Oryx via Wikipedia |
| Niger | Su-25 (Ukraine) | 2 (2013) | Listed operational in 2021; current status unconfirmed | SIPRI; FlightGlobal via Wikipedia |
| Angola | Su-25, incl. 2 Su-25UB (USSR) | 14 (1988) | Reported withdrawn 2025 | SIPRI; Wikipedia (citing FlightGlobal) |
| Mali | Su-25 (Russia) | 2 (2022-2023) | Both lost (crash 4 Oct 2022; second lost 9 Sep 2023) | SIPRI; Reuters; Military Africa |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Su-25, Su-25UB (Belarus) | 4 (2003-2004) | Aircraft destroyed by French forces, November 2004; whether all four were lost is not confirmed | SIPRI; Wikipedia (citing BBC) |
| The Gambia | Su-25 (Georgia) | 1 (2004) | No combat aircraft by 2026 | SIPRI; Wikipedia (List of Su-25 operators) |
SIPRI’s quantities are deliveries, often marked as estimates. In-service figures come from FlightGlobal’s World Air Forces directories and specialist reporting, and are at best approximate.
Sudan and Chad: the biggest deliveries
Sudan received about 15 ex-Belarusian Su-25s in 2008-2010 and four more in 2019, SIPRI estimates. FlightGlobal’s 2026 directory, as cited in our Sudan profile, lists about nine, and at least four were destroyed in 2023 during the war with the Rapid Support Forces; the rest of the gap is not explained by public sources. Chad bought ten second-hand Su-25s from Ukraine between 2008 and 2013 and, according to Wikipedia’s Chadian Air Force article, used them against Boko Haram in 2015. For full fleet details, see our Sudanese Air Force inventory.
Losses and retirements
In November 2004 Ivorian Su-25s bombed French positions in Bouaké, killing nine French soldiers, and French troops then destroyed Ivorian aircraft on the ground, according to Wikipedia’s operator list, which cites contemporary BBC and People’s Daily reports. Mali received two Su-25s from Russia in 2022-2023: one crashed at Gao on 4 October 2022 and the second was lost on 9 September 2023. Angola, the earliest African recipient in SIPRI’s register (1988), retired its fleet in 2025, according to Wikipedia’s operator list, which cites FlightGlobal. In the DRC, a Su-25 was hit by a surface-to-air missile over Goma in January 2023.
What replaces the Su-25?
Recent purchases by Niger and Chad point to turboprops and drones rather than new jets. SIPRI records Turkish HÜRKUŞ-C turboprops delivered to Niger (2) and Chad (3), Bayraktar TB2 drones to Niger, and ANKA-S and AKSUNGUR drones to Chad. Mali, a former Su-25 user, has received Super Tucano turboprops and L-39C jets, SIPRI records; see light attack and COIN aircraft in Africa.
Frequently asked questions
Which African country has the most Su-25s?
Sudan received the most, about 19 according to SIPRI estimates; FlightGlobal’s 2026 directory lists about nine. Chad’s fleet is listed at a similar size, about seven single-seat and two two-seat jets, in an undated summary on Wikipedia.
Does Mali still have Su-25s?
No. One of the two aircraft delivered in 2022-2023 crashed in October 2022 and the other was lost in September 2023.
Does Angola still fly the Su-25?
Probably not. Wikipedia’s operator list, citing FlightGlobal, reports the fleet was withdrawn in 2025.
Where do African Su-25s come from?
Mostly second-hand from Ukraine and Belarus. Angola received new aircraft from the Soviet Union, Ethiopia and Mali got ex-Russian jets, and the DRC and The Gambia were supplied from Georgia, where the Su-25 was built.
Related reading
- Chadian Air Force aircraft
- Sudanese Air Force aircraft
- Malian Air Force aircraft
- Angolan Air Force aircraft
- Light attack and COIN aircraft in Africa
Sources
- SIPRI Arms Transfers Database, trade registers for African recipients, 1960-2025 (data published March 2026; accessed November 2026).
- Wikipedia, “List of Sukhoi Su-25 operators”, citing FlightGlobal World Air Forces 2021 and 2026, Key Aero, Oryx, Reuters and BBC (accessed November 2026).
Last updated: 7 November 2026.