Rnews Crooked Bough News Round-up: Military Watch

Military Watch

— Chinese J-10C vs. Russian MiG-29M: Which is the Best Choice For Egypt’s Air Force?: at 4/29/25 4:13am
Following the confirmed <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/egypt-hosts-chinese-j10c-flying-radar-joint-exercises" target="_blank">deployment</a> of J-10C fighters by the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force to Egypt to participate in the ‘Eagles of Civilisation 2025’ joint air exercises, during which the aircraft operated closely alongside Egyptian Air Force <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/the-best-mig-29-ever-built-algeria-receives-new-mig-29m-fighters-reports" target="_blank">MiG-29M fighters</a>, comparisons between the two classes of combat jets have increasingly been made. The MiG-29M is currently Egypt’s only modern fighter class that does not suffer from <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/can-t-shoot-very-far-why-egypt-s-massive-but-downgraded-f-16-fleet-is-totally-obsolete-for-modern-warfare" target="_blank">heavily downgraded</a> air-to-air combat capabilities, with 46 of the aircraft having been ordered from Russia in 2015 making the African state the world’s largest operator of the class. Although followup orders for further MiG-29M fighters, or for its closely related but more advanced derivative the MiG-35, were <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/egypt-never-ordered-mig-35-fighters-from-russia-but-it-might-buy-some-very-soon" target="_blank">previously speculated</a>, comparisons of the fighters with the J-10C provide important indications as to why the Chinese produced fighters may well have gained more interest from the Egypt Air Force over competing Russian jets.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/30/article_681187fd38a6e3_26688354.jpeg" title="Chinese PLA Air Force J-10C Firing Rocket Pods">Both the J-10 and the MiG-29 were developed as lighter counterparts to Su-27 heavyweight fighter, which formed the elite of the Soviet Air Force from 1984 and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/final-gift-from-the-soviets-how-china-received-three-of-the-ussr-s-top-fighters-weeks-before-the-superpower-collapsed" target="_blank">from 1992</a>. During the 1990s China procured the Su-27 in much larger numbers than the Russian Air Force itself could, and produced the fighters under license before improving on the design significantly to develop the J-11, J-11B and eventually the much more advanced J-16 ‘4+ generation’ fighter. The J-10 entered service in 2004&nbsp;with similarly advanced technologies to the J-11B, before the enhanced J-10C variant was brought into service in 2018 as a ‘4+ generation’ fighter with comparable sophistication to the J-16. China invested heavily in the J-10 program to field a high-low combination of heavy and lightweight fighters, with the J-10 using the same WS-10 engine as the J-11 and J-16 albeit in single rather than twin configuration. Over 600 J-10s currently service in the country’s air force, with production of the J-10C continuing on a significant scale. By contrast, after the disintegration of the USSR the cash strapped Russian Air Force largely abandoned its high-low combination of fighters, and invested primarily in developing enhanced variants of the Su-27 such as the Su-34 and Su-35 while making negligible investments in procuring the MiG-29. As a result, compared to the approximately 300 J-10Cs in Chinese service, Russia fields no MIG-29M fighters whatsoever and only <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-first-combat-deployment-mig35" target="_blank">six MiG-35 fighters</a>.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/30/article_681187d049abd3_24236882.jpg" title="Egyptian Air Force MiG-29M Fighters">The much greater investments China has made in operating the J-10C and in integrating its latest technologies onto the aircraft make it significantly more attractive than the MiG-29M, with the fighter program also benefitting from much greater economies of scale. Another major advantage of the J-10C is the much greater sophistication of China’s combat aviation sector. This discrepancy is clearly seen between the country’s fifth generation fighter programs, with the Chinese J-20 considered one of the world’s most sophisticated fighters alongside the American F-35, while the Russian Su-57 has not only been brought into service much more slowly, but is significantly less advanced in areas such as its stealth features and lack of distributed aperture systems. Discrepancies in technologies ranging from composite materials to radars and data links are expected to provide the J-10C with a significant advantage over Russian ‘4+ generation’ fighters, including not only the MiG-29M, but also much larger aircraft. The J-10C has accordingly been reported to have&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/china-s-j-10c-reportedly-crushed-the-russian-su-35-in-combat-exercises-how-the-firebird-came-out-on-top" >consistently outperformed</a>&nbsp;the Russian Su-35&nbsp;in simulated engagements. <img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/30/article_68118919914254_92691474.jpeg" title="J-10C Equipped For Air-to-Air Combat">Comparing the J-10C to Russian fighters, discrepancies in air-to-air missile technologies are also significant, with Russia having taken few steps to operationalise its R-77M missile as a primary armament for new fighters, while its Chinese counterpart the PL-15 has been in service for over a decade. This leaves MiG-29Ms, Su-35s and other Russian fighters heavily reliant on the R-77-1, which is broadly equivalent to the American AIM-120C and Chinese PL-12, but well behind the cutting edge. The J-10C’s advantages in visual ranges is potentially even greater, with the PL-10 missile capable of engaging at much greater off boresight angles than the R-73/74 used by Russian fighters. Overall the J-10C is likely to be considered a much more cost effective aircraft, and while more costly to procure than the MiG-29M, it has significantly lower operational costs and a far greater combat potential.&nbsp;Procuring the J-10C has the additional benefit of allowing Egypt to modernise its air force significantly more quickly, as Russian production of the MiG-29M and MiG-35 is limited to only around 14 fighters per year, with the aircraft produced exclusively for export and lacking domestic orders. China can deliver the fighters at close to double the speed, and produces the J-10C at a rate of approximately 50 fighters per year. Procuring the J-10C can further serve as a stepping stone to Egypt’s procurement of its first fifth generation fighters, namely the J-35, which uses many of the same technologies as the J-20 but is a lighter and less complex aircraft considered more affordable for foreign clients.&nbsp;
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Asia-Pacific, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]
— U.S. Navy F-18E/F Fighter Lost After Yemeni Strike on Nuclear Supercarrier: at 4/28/25 5:25am
The Yemeni Ansurullah Coalition was on April 28 confirmed to have come close to striking an American supercarrier, with the USS Harry Truman forced to turn hard to evade fire. An F-18E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft fell overboard and was lost at sea during the turn. The Yemeni anti-ship ballistic missile reportedly used a very shallow trajectory, providing minimal warning time and thus preventing escorting U.S. Navy destroyers from intercepting it. This represented the second missile strike by Yemeni forces that came within very close range of an American aircraft carrier, following a prior incident reported in October 2024. The loss of an F-18 follows a prior shootdown of one of the aircraft operating from the same aircraft carrier in the theatre in December, which the Ansurullah Coalition claimed to have brought down. The U.S. Navy claimed the fighter was shot down by friendly fire. The Ansurullah Coalition has continued to <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/yemeni-ansurullah-amazing-arsenal-shocked" target="_blank">surpass Western expectations</a> in the levels of resistance it has been able to pose, with its forces have sustained missile attacks both against Western warships and against Israeli ground targets, while also sustaining an air defence capability and continuing to shoot down MQ-9 Reaper drones that operate closer to their airspace. Over 20 MQ-9s have been shot down since hostilities escalated in October 2023.
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)]
— Ukrainian Su-27 Destroyed During Combat Mission Against Russian Drones: at 4/28/25 2:55am
The Ukrainian Air Force on April 28 confirmed the loss of one of its few remaining Su-27 fighter aircraft during a mission to intercept Russian drones. Earlier in the day the fighter was involved in a “complex combat mission” to both provide air support to ground troops and repel “strike UAVs,” with the aircraft destroyed under unknown circumstances. Russian media outlets reported that the fighter was destroyed while chasing Geran-2 single use drones, a locally produced version of the I<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/iran-s-shahed-136-drone-has-become-russia-s-primary-aircraft-for-striking-ukrainian-positions-unprecedented-attacks-near-odessa" target="_blank">ranian Shahed 136 </a>that has been used widely since September 2022 to strike a wide range of Ukrainian and allied targets. It remains uncertain whether the Su-27 was destroyed by the drones themselves, whether it crashed due to a technical issue, or whether Ukrainian air defences may have brought it down by accident. Unconfirmed reports indicate that footage showing a Su-27 engulfed in flames and is seen descending in a flat spin showed the fighter lost in April 28. Ukrainian aircraft losses to friendly fire have been significant throughout the war, with sources from the country having confirmed days prior that Ukrainian air defences were responsible for killing 68 friendly personnel on a Russian aircraft during an exchange of prisoners of war in January 2024.<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/29/article_681024fc5f1d94_71123892.jpeg" title="Shahed 136 Drone Over Ukraine">Ukrainian sources have reported growing difficulties in countering attacks by Russian&nbsp;single use drones, with the aircraft reported to have&nbsp;begun flying at higher altitudes of 2,000 to 2,500 meters, and forming groups of up to 20 drones for simultaneous attacks on urban targets. Operating at these altitudes places the aircraft beyond&nbsp;the effective reach of anti-aircraft guns and a number of missile systems, allowing the drones to then execute steep dives toward their intended targets at speeds of around 90 meters per second. Such operations are likely to have increased pressure on the country’s dwindling fighter fleet for air defence duties.&nbsp;The Su-27 is the most capable fighter class fielded by the Ukrainian Air Force, with its high weapons carrying capacity and long range making it highly prized for cruise missile strikes on Russian forces. Efforts to use the fighters to engage Russian aircraft in air-to-air combat, however, have consistently ended in&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/four-su-27-flankers-shot-down-over-western-ukraine-in-march-5-battle-which-russian-asset-could-have-done-it" >overwhelming losses</a>, with the Soviet-built aircraft remaining at a&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/longest-ranged-aam-performs-ukraine-su57" >significant&nbsp;disadvantage</a>&nbsp;if facing Russia’s more modern fighters such as the Su-30SM and Su-35. Ukrainian pilots who have flown Su-27s and the newly delivered U.S.-built F-16s have reported that the former remains an overall more capable aircraft, although as very few Su-27s are fielded by Western-aligned states there remains little possibility of combat losses being replenished.&nbsp;
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]
— North Korea’s New Frigate Has 54 Percent More Firepower Than a European Destroyer: Choi Hyon Revolutionises Surface Navy: at 4/27/25 2:30am
The North Korean frigate Choi Hyon has officially been launched as the largest surface vessel ever constructed for the Korean People’s Army Navy, which represents a major landmark in the rejuvenation of the East Asian state’s surface warfare capabilities at a time when major strides in modernisation of the armed forces are being made. With an estimated displacement of 5000 tons, the Choi Hyon is one of the largest frigates in the world with a size comparable to those of smaller destroyers. It carries a particularly large arsenal relative to its displacement. The warship’s primary arsenal is an array of 74 vertical launch cells, providing comparable levels of firepower to much larger destroyers. To place this arsenal in perspective, the U.S. Navy’s <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/9billion-zumwalt-first-deployment-upgrades" target="_blank">Zumwalt Class destroyers</a> carry 80 vertical launch cells despite having displacements of over 14,000 tons, while the British Royal Navy’s <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/british-type-45-destroyers-cant-do-ballistic-missile-defence-small-arsenals-have-limited-versatility" target="_blank">Type 45 Class destroyers</a> carry just 48 vertical launch cells despite having displacements of 8,500 tons. The U.S. Navy’s upcoming Constellation Class frigates, which are particularly large at 7,300 tons, will carry just 32 launch cells. The Choi Hyon’s launch cells are not only much more densely packed, but also include 20 particularly large launch cells expected to carry ballistic missiles.<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/28/article_680ecf7bb3af44_34976162.JPG" title="Launch Ceremony of KPA Navy Warship Choi Hyon ">The Choi Hyon is confirmed to be capable of operating an air defence role, fuelling speculation that the ship integrates a derivative of the <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/north-korea-test-firing-s400-similar-air-defence" target="_blank">Pyongae-6</a> long range air defence system that was first unveiled in 2020. It is otherwise expected to carry both cruise and ballistic missiles for roles including anti-shipping, strikes on surface targets, and possibly the delivery of nuclear attacks. Many of the shipbuilding techniques developed for the latest generation of frigates are likely to have first been put to use developing the country’s <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/nkorea-surface-navy-amnok-missile" target="_blank">Amnok&nbsp;Class corvettes</a>, two of which are currently in service with similar modern vertical launch cells and advanced cruise missile strike capabilities. Unlike the Amnok Class, the Choi Hyun is expected to operate outside Korean waters and potentially far out into the Pacific, which will likely pose greater complications to defence planners in the United States due to the offensive missile arsenals the ship can carry. North Korea has since the end of the Cold War placed a low emphasis on its surface navy, and instead focused on developing its submarine fleet and other assets that provide asymmetric defensive value. Renewed investment in the country’s surface navy provides one of many indications that the country’s economic standing has largely recovered and that its defence budget can now accommodate the procurement costly conventional assets.&nbsp;
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Asia-Pacific, Naval]
— Russia Details North Korea’s Key Role in Repelling Ukraine’s Kursk Offensive: at 4/26/25 5:01am
In a major shift away from their position of ambiguity regarding the participation of North Korean forces in the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian War, Russian state sources on April 26 confirmed and began to openly praise the role played by personnel from the East Asian state. Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov particularly praised the importance of the North Korean contribution to repelling a <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/ukraine-20650-personnel-kursk" target="_blank">Ukrainian offensive </a>into the Kursk Region, stressing their “resilience and heroism.” "I would like to specially mention the participation of the Chosun soldiers in the liberation of the border region of Kursk region, which provided significant support in defeating the Ukrainian army in accordance with the Agreement on Comprehensive Strategic Companion Relationship (Treaty of the Tactical Companion) between the two countries… Chosun soldiers and officers performed combat missions shoulder to shoulder with Russian soldiers and demonstrated high professionalism, strength, courage, and heroism in the process of intensifying Ukraines silence.” "A new chapter has opened in the glorious chronicle of combat brotherhood between Russia and the people of Chosun,” he announced, adding: "The soldiers of the Chosun Army have contributed greatly to liberating Russian land from enemy invaders fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with our soldiers and officers in the same trenches in Kursk region.”<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/27/article_680d9e0ab2f3b8_57888240.jpg" title="German Supplied Leopard 2A6 Tank Destroyed in Kursk in September 2024">Commenting on North Korean contributions to the war effort, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zaharova observed: “We will never forget our friends."&nbsp; "The unity shown by the friends of Chosun shows that there is a high bilateral relationship and virtually alliance. We are confident that our relationship will continue to strengthen and develop in accordance with the agreement between the leaders of both countries,” she added in an interview. Following this statement, state media outlet RT published the article: “‘Not a single North Korean violated his oath’: How our allies helped us liberate Kursk,” stressing that Korean People’s Army units “showed discipline, coordination and disregard for death, contributing greatly to the defeat of Ukrainian invaders.” Providing details on the operations of North Korean units in Kursk, Russian state media reported: “At first, they underwent training at military ranges, familiarising themselves with modern combat tactics, mastering drone operation skills, and adapting to field realities. Then, the ‘combat Buryats,’ as our military jokingly and covertly called them, were transferred to the Kursk region. They lived in field conditions to avoid attracting attention. Initially, they held the third line of defence, then the second, and eventually, they were tested in fortifications and, finally, in assaults.” Regarding their performances, it observed: “Korean soldiers distinguished themselves by their coordination, discipline, a fatalist disregard for death, and remarkable endurance. Understandably so – they were mostly young, strong, well-built men, decently trained back home, particularly the units from the Special Operations Forces. They made a significant contribution to the liberation of the Korenevsky District, fought in battles near Staraya and Novaya Sorochina, and broke through to Kurilovka.”&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/27/article_680d9ec83a8a29_47358507.jpeg" title="North Korean Forces Simulate Airborne Assault">It remains uncertain whether North Korean forces will continue to operate alongside the Russian Army into disputed territories in the Donbas regions. While the Kursk region’s status as a Russian territory is internationally undisputed, which allows North Korea to support Russian efforts to repel an invasion without any legal controversies, fighting in the Donbas would open Pyongyang to the charge of participating in an invasion with a precarious legal status. Although it has not been conceded to by Russian sources, North Korean military equipment has played a central role in facilitating continued operations by the Russian Armed Forces themselves, with the country’s much larger artillery forces allowing them to supply the Russian Army adequately. As part of efforts its large scale<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/new-study-nkorean-russia-artillery" >&nbsp;support&nbsp;</a>for the Russian war effort, North Korea was by the end of 2024 estimated to have dispatched <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/nkorean-artillery-saved-russia-6million" >over 6 million artillery rounds</a>&nbsp;to Russia. North Korean weapons systems have often had important advantages over their Russian counterparts, with a notable example being the&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/nkorean-bulsae4-antitank-takes-out-ukraine-artillery-kursk" >Bulsae-4 anti tank missile system</a>&nbsp;which was&nbsp;<a href="https://thediplomat.com/2024/08/north-korea-closes-russias-anti-tank-missile-gap-with-ukraine/" >first seen in use</a>&nbsp;in the theatre in August 2024, and introduced a very long 10 kilometre range and top attack capability previously not seen on Russian systems of its kind. Footage has also appeared to show the&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/footage-first-transfers-nkorean-russia-pukkuksong2" >deployment</a>&nbsp;of North Korean Pukkuksong-2 medium range ballistic missile systems in Russia, while KN-23 and KN-24 tactical ballistic missiles, 170mm howitzers, and a range of rocket artillery systems, have all been used widely.
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Ground]
— U.S. Surging Fighter Presence in Korea By 78 Percent: Large F-16 Force Basing Just 80km From North Korea: at 4/25/25 6:39am
The U.S. Air Force has announced plans to significantly increase its forward fighter presence in South Korea by surging the presence of fighter aircraft at Osan Air Base by 155 percent, with the 20 F-16C/D fighters based at the facility set to be bolstered by 31 additional F-16s. The Air Force previously deployed 40 F-16C/D fighters in South Korea, which were evenly split between Osan Air Base located just 80 kilometres from the inter-Korean demilitarised zone, and Kusnan Airbase located further south. The Air Force previously also deployed 24 A-10 attack jets at Osan Air Base, although these ageing jets are currently being retired from service. The viability of the A-10 for provision of close air support in Korea has increasingly been called into question due to major improvements in North Korean <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/stronger-dprk-air-defence-us-f35-rok" target="_blank">air defence capabilities</a>. Although the F-16’s lack of stealth capabilities and limited electronic attack capabilities leave the aircraft highly vulnerable if operating near North Korean territory, the fighters are capable of deploying a wide range of beyond visual range missiles that can strike North Korean targets from safer distances. The U.S. Air Force has refrained from permanently stationing more capable fighters such as the F-35A, F-15E or F-22 in South Korea, with the very high vulnerability of bases across the peninsula to North Korean missile and artillery strikes leaving fighters there at risk.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/26/article_680c63e69f3c24_52080784.png" title="U.S. Air Force F-16 at Osan Air Base in Korea">Although the F-16 is one of the two oldest fighters classes still in production anywhere in the world today, modernised variants of the aircraft are still considered more than capable of outperforming Korean People’s Army Air Force MiG-23ML and MiG-29 fighters. While the MiG-23ML and MiG-29A were considered to have <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/nkorea-last-major-mig23-operator-how-capable" target="_blank">significant advantages</a> over the F-16 when they were procured from the Soviet Union in the mid-1980s, major investments in modernising F-16s with subsystems such as helmet mounted sights, Link 16 data links, AIM-9X high off boresight capable air-to-air missiles and AIM-120C active radar guided air-to-air missiles has provided the American jets with distinct advantages. The age of North Korea’s fighter fleet means that the country’s formidable and extremely dense network of modern ground based air defence systems is expected to represent the primary challenge for U.S. and allied fighter units should the be able to sustain operations from bases under enemy fire. <img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/26/article_680c63db4e80f2_71262655.jpeg" title="North Korean MiG-29A and MiG-29UB Fighters">North Korea’s fighter fleet is expected to see its capabilities significantly enhanced in the near future, as the country begins to procure modern fighter aircraft from Russia in the near future. Procurements are expected to<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-realistically-ship-hundreds-mig29-nkorea" > include large numbers</a> of modernised MiG-29 fighters, with a possibility remaining that over 100 will be purchase to phase out many of the country’s older MiG-19 and MiG-21 second generation fighters. The Korean People’s Army Air Force is also speculated to be&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/expert-russia-nkorea-joint-fighter-units" >planning to procure</a>&nbsp;Su-57 fifth generation fighters, after North Korean officials&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/future-of-north-korean-aviation-in-russia-kim-jong-un-tours-plants-producing-su-35-and-su-57-fighters-and-sukhoi-airliners" >inspected</a>&nbsp;the aircraft in Russia in September 2023.&nbsp;Development of advanced<a href="https://www.38north.org/2022/10/air-to-air-missiles-could-be-the-north-korean-defense-sectors-next-breakthrough-why-it-matters/" >&nbsp;new air-to-air missiles</a> in the country are expected to play an important role in bridging the existing missile gap between North Korean and American fighter units.&nbsp;This is expected to significantly increase the challenges faced by U.S. Air Force F-16s in Korea, and may lead the service to consider a permanent deployment of more advanced F-35A fifth generation fighters to the peninsula.
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Asia-Pacific, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]
— Russia Has More Than Doubled Su-34 Strike Fighter Production: Latest Batch Now Delivered: at 4/23/25 6:12am
The Russian Aerospace Forces have received a new batch of Su-34 strike fighters, as the Chkalov Aircraft Factory&nbsp;in Novosibirsk, Siberia reportedly reaches a major milestone by successfully increasing production of the aircraft to more than double the levels seen before 2022. Production is currently estimated at close to 30 fighters per year, with the fleet expected to reach more than 300 fighters by 2030. Production costs are estimated to be more than 30 percent lower than those of the Su-35 air superiority fighter, and less than two thirds those of the Su-57 fifth generation fighter, making the Su-34 highly affordable to procure in large numbers. Dollar costs continue to vary widely depending on rouble exchange rates.&nbsp;Su-34s produced since 2024 have all been enhanced Su-34M variants, the first orders for which were&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/introducing-the-su-34m-russia-just-ordered-two-full-regiments-of-its-latest-strike-fighter-design" >placed in 2020</a>.&nbsp;Russian sources have widely claimed that these have double the combat capacities of the baseline variants. The Su-34M also has a specialised electronic attack variant and an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance variant.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/24/article_6809ba4559fe15_89050724.JPG" title="Su-34 Strike Fighters with Rocket Pods">In October 2023 the Russian Defence Ministry gave directives to expand Su-34 production, with then Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/su34m-strike-fighters-batches-capabilities" >observing</a> at the time&nbsp;regarding the Su-34’s role in the Russian Aerospace Forces: “This warplane is the main workhorse, they have four, five sorties every day.” He stressed the “need to step up, hurry up” with production.&nbsp;Six batches of Su-34s were reported to have been delivered to the Russian Aerospace Forces in 2024, namely on&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/ruaf-new-batch-su34-glide-bomb" >April 5</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russian-su34-batch-production-surge" >June 17</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/replenishing-strike-fleet-su34s" >September 2</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/su34-intensive-strikes-kursk" >October 9</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russian-new-su34-third-consecutive-month" >November 25&nbsp;</a>and&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russian-air-force-new-su57-su34" >December 23</a>. The Su-34 has continued to be widely relied on for both nuclear deterrence and for tactical strike missions across all theatres from the&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-enclave-airstrikes-100-jihadists" >Middle East</a>&nbsp;to the&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-to-deploy-new-su-34-strike-fighter-unit-to-arctic-amid-tensions-with-america" >Arctic</a>&nbsp;to the Western Pacific. The aircraft have taken significant losses in the Russian-Ukrainian War, reflecting their central role in the conflict and the assignment of high risk air support missions.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/24/article_6809bd00283b99_31200766.jpeg" title="Russian Aerospace Forces Su-34">After significant losses in early-mid 2022 in particular, attrition rates in Su-34 units in the Ukrainian theatre have decreased significantly due to a combination of factors. Not only have Ukrainian air defences have been <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/ukraine-air-defence-s300-buk-expire" target="_blank">depleted</a>, but Su-34s have increasingly made use of precision guided glide bombs that allow them to provide close air support from much greater distance. The Su-34M’s electronic warfare capabilities and a range of other countermeasures to enemy targeting systems have also been reported to have improved survivability. New armaments have continued to be integrated onto the aircraft, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/ruaf-precision-glide-bombs" >new class of glide bomb</a>&nbsp;for the fighter unveiled in September 2024, and&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-drel-precision-cluster-production" >another new class&nbsp;</a>expected to be integrated into units by the end of 2025. The fighters are prized for their particularly high weapons carrying capacities, which allow them to deploy new FAB-3000&nbsp;3000 kilogram glide bombs, as well as multiple combinations of lighter ordinance including&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/footage-su34s-thermobaric-ukrainian-vacuum" >bombs with thermobaric warheads</a>. The Su-34 has no direct analogues in the Western world or in China, and is a heavily modified derivative of the Soviet Union’s top air superiority fighter the Su-27 Flanker. It is approximately 50 percent larger than the already very heavy Su-27, allowing it to carry particularly heavy ordinance payloads and larger quantities of fuel.&nbsp;With a particularly high endurance, the Su-34’s role has significant overlap with lighter classes of strategic bomber such as the Tu-22M, although its manoeuvrability remains higher than that of many classes of modern fighter despite its heavy weight.&nbsp;
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]
— Ukraine Receives First Swedish Saab 340 AEW&C ‘Flying Radar’: at 4/22/25 6:23am
The first of two Swedish Saab 340 AEW&amp;C ‘flying radar’ airborne early warning and control (AEW&amp;C) systems donated to Ukraine has arrived in the Eastern European country, according to a report by the UNIAN news agency, with the aircraft reported to have already made its first test flight in the Lviv Region. Otherwise referred to as the ACS-890, the aircraft were first introduced into the Swedish Air Force in 1997, although limited successes marketing the class for export means that only 12 were ever built. The donation of the aircraft was announced on May 29, 2024 by the Swedish Ministry of Defence as part of the 16th military support package to Ukraine. AEW&amp;Cs deploy oversized radars, in this case the Erieye radar, and are able to better manage the battlespace from the air, provide warning of incoming threats, and in some cases even guide fighters’ air to air missiles to their targets. The Saab 340 is one of the more conservative and less capable AEW&amp;C designs in service, with its capabilities comparing poorly to those of world leading systems such as the American E-7 and Chinese KJ-500. The system ended production in the late 1990s, and is expected to be significantly more straightforward to jam than 21st century AEW&amp;Cs. The looming obsolescence of the aircraft is considered a primary reason why the decision was taken to donate them as aid.<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/23/article_68086c79daa789_11172367.jpg" title="Russian Aerospace Forces MiG-31BM Interceptor">With the exception of a small number of remaining Soviet built Su-27 fighters, the Ukrainian Air Force’s fighter fleet is overwhelmingly reliant on lightweight fighter aircraft with relatively small mechanically scanned array radars that have long since been considered obsolete, namely the F-16, Mirage 2000 and MiG-29. With these fighters carrying sensor suites fractions of the sizes of those of modern Russian fighters such as the Su-30SM and Su-35, the use of AEW&amp;Cs is vital to bridging the gap in situational awareness. The <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/while-elephant-asset-why-sending-saab-340-flying-radars-to-ukraine-will-not-end-well-for-kiev" target="_blank">vulnerability</a> of very high value, large and non-manoeuvrable aircraft like the Saab 340 nevertheless remains high, with Russian forces having demonstrated that even small fighters sized aircraft can be successfully targeted deep into Ukrainian controlled airspace. Assets such as the R-37M air-to-air missile and 40N6 surface-to-air missile are considered to pose particularly high threats to AEW&amp;Cs, and have extended ranges of 400 kilometres.&nbsp;The R-37M has been&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/longest-ranged-aam-performs-ukraine-su57" >combat tested extensively</a>&nbsp;in Ukraine, and is deployed by <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/mig31-teaching-ukraine-most-dangerous" >MiG-31BM</a> interceptors that deploy the world’s largest radars designed for air-to-air engagements, which allows them to guide missiles to targets at their full ranges without support from other sensors. The 40N6 missile achieves its full targeting range despite being launched from the ground by following a unique trajectory, which involves ascending to extreme near space altitudes before descending towards its target, providing an unparalleled over the horizon strike capability. Use of one of these missiles against Ukrainian targets was <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-combat-tests-s400-400km-pairing-a50" >first reported</a> by credible sources on November 7, 2023.&nbsp;
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)]
— China’s New Non-Nuclear Hydrogen Warhead Could Be a Game Changer: at 4/22/25 5:30am
The world’s first warhead of its kind, a hydrogen-based non-nuclear explosive device, has been detonated for the first time in a controlled field test in China, with the warhead successfully triggering a series of devastating chemical chain reactions to delivery significantly greater explosive force than conventional TNT.&nbsp; The two kilogram bomb generated a fireball exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius for more than two seconds, which was 15 times longer than an equivalent TNT blast. This has the potential to serve as a major force multiplier for a wide range of Chinese armaments, from ballistic missiles and artillery to air-to-air missiles.&nbsp;&nbsp;Developed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s 705 Research Institute, the device used a magnesium-based solid-state hydrogen storage material known as magnesium hydride, which stores considerably more hydrogen than a pressurised tank. This compound was activated by conventional explosives and made to undergo rapid thermal decomposition, releasing hydrogen gas that ignited into a sustained inferno. Researchers observed regarding the test: "Hydrogen gas explosions ignite with minimal ignition energy, have a broad explosion range, and unleash flames that race outward rapidly while spreading widely… This combination allows precise control over blast intensity, easily achieving uniform destruction of targets across vast areas.” China is the only country capable of producing magnesium hydride in large quantities, with an output of over 150 tons per year considered possible.&nbsp;
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Asia-Pacific, Missile and Space]
— Chinese HQ-9B Long Range Air Defence Systems Now Guard Egyptian Skies: at 4/20/25 7:40pm
Egyptian military sources have reportedly confirmed that the Egyptian Air Force has procured the Chinese <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/hq9b-multi-layered-air-defence-unveiled" target="_blank">HQ-9B long range air defence system</a>, providing a new backbone to the country’s previously highly limited surface-to-air missile network with potentially transformative impacts for the balance of power in the air between the country and potential adversaries. Although Egypt was previously reported to have procured the Russian S-300V4 system in the mid-2010s, this was never fully confirmed, with multiple reports indicating that the system was placed in storage due to Western threats to impose economic sanctions on Cairo. Uncertainty regarding the procurement of S-300s, and the small scale of the reported order, makes the procurement of the HQ-9B a transformative development for Egypt’s air defences, which previously relied largely on ageing Vietnam War era systems such as the Soviet S-75 and S-125, supported by short and medium range Russian Tor-M2 and BuK-M2 systems acquired in the 2010s. The ability of even late Cold War era medium and long range air defence systems to cause serious complications for a modern air force have recently been highlighted by Ukraine’s effective use of systems such as the S-300PS/PT to limit the Russian Air Force’s ability to shape the ongoing war effort. This has increased the attraction of acquiring more modern equivalents to systems for counties facing potential adversaries with greater aerial warfare capabilities.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/21/article_6805be6b9e1bd6_31010805.jpeg" title="Missile Launch During Exercises Involving HQ-9B Systems">The HQ-9B has gained growing traction on export markets, with sales reportedly having been made to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/pakistans-hq9p-complicate-indian-operations">Pakistan</a>, with the former two having selected the system over competing Russian alternatives to succeed&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/nato-hated-S200-longest-range-air-defence">Soviet era S-200s</a>&nbsp;in their arsenals. A combination of the threat of Western sanctions on Egypt should it procure competing Russian systems, and Russia’s inability to make rapid deliveries of its systems due to a long queue of orders both domestically and from India and Belarus, likely contributed to making the HQ-9B appear more attractive. The much more sophisticated state of China’s electronics and radar industries mean that the HQ-9B likely retains advantages over its Russian rivals in associated performance areas. The HQ-9B is by far the most widely produced long range surface to air missile system outside Russia, and deploys missiles, radars and command units from mobile trucks to maximise mobility and thereby improve survivability.&nbsp;The systems are able to network with Egypt’s existing air defence assets, as well as with its MiG-29M fighters, and will be highly compatible with the Chinese J-10C fighters that a number of sources have <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/egypt-j10c-f16s-reports" target="_blank">reported</a> Egypt recently ordered.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/21/article_68066173b56022_81538890.jpeg" title="BuK M2 Medium Range Air Defence System in Egyptian Service">Egypt’s interest in Chinese aerial warfare assets is thought to have been stimulated by&nbsp;a shifting of power trajectories in the Middle East, as Cairo has seen tensions grow with several countries in the Western world as well as with their regional strategic partners Israel and Turkey. Western backing both for Israel’s ongoing plans to evict the population of the neighbouring Gaza Strip, and for Turkish efforts to bolster Islamist militants in Syria and Libya, are all considered to pose major threats to Egyptian security. The Egyptian Air Force’s current capability to confront the Israeli fleet remains limited, while support in the United States for<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/turkey-f35a-washington-ankara-back" target="_blank"> equipping Turkey</a> with F-35 fighters is expected to similarly leave Egypt at a steep disadvantage. The <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/ten-years-since-the-wests-war-against-libya-how-it-served-as-a-warning-regarding-us-and-european-intentions" target="_blank">Western-led assault</a> on neighbouring Libya with Turkish participation&nbsp; in 2011 is also reported to have left a strong impression on the Egyptian leadership, and contributed to the consensus that buildup of aerial warfare capabilities independently of the Western world is necessary.
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Africa and South America, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]
— Egypt Hosts Chinese J-10C Fighters, ‘Flying Radars’ and Tankers For Major Joint Exercises: at 4/20/25 4:22am
The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force was on April 20 confirmed to have deployed J-10C fighter aircraft supporting by KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&amp;C) systems to Egypt to participate in the ‘Eagles of Civilisation 2025’ joint air exercises with the Egyptian Air Force. The exercises are taking place at a time of growing tensions between Egypt and Western Bloc states, primarily due to the sustained pressure that has been placed on Cairo to accept much of the Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip as part of plans to place the territory under the control of neighbouring Israel. Egypt’s current fighter inventory is compromised overwhelmingly of Western aircraft, with <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/egypt-f16s-40-years-downgrade" target="_blank">over 180 F-16s</a> in service and 54 Rafale fighters on order. The <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/can-t-shoot-very-far-why-egypt-s-massive-but-downgraded-f-16-fleet-is-totally-obsolete-for-modern-warfare" target="_blank">extensive downgrading</a> of Western fighters sold to Egypt is reported to have strengthened Cairo’s interest in procuring Chinese fighter aircraft, namely the <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/j10-25yrs-china-air-force" target="_blank">J-10C</a> and J-35, with a number of sources <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/egypt-j10c-f16s-reports" target="_blank">having claimed</a> that the first orders for J-10Cs were placed in 2024. As China itself faces growing military pressure from Western Bloc states in the Pacific, the strengthening of defence ties with Egypt and bolstering of the African state’s defences has the potential to yield major strategic dividends.&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/21/article_6805ac70af6030_35017600.jpeg" title="Chinese PLA Air Force KJ-500 AEW&amp;C">The Egyptian Air Force is the only service in Africa to deploy airborne early warning and control systems, namely American E-2 Hawkeye aircraft procured during the Cold War. With the E-2 today considered increasingly obsolete, and lacking compatibility with Chinese fighter aircraft, the possibility remains significant that deployment of the KJ-500 to Egypt may be intended to allow the Egyptian Air Force to evaluate its capabilities and consider procuring it for their own fleet. Participation in Eagles of Civilisation 2025 represents the first overseas deployment of the KJ-500, which highlights China’s growing readiness to extend the operational reach of its high value support aircraft, at a time when its fleet of AEW&amp;Cs is growing at a far greater rate than that of any other air force in the world. The PLA Air Force also deployed YY-20 tanker aircraft to refuel its fighters and AEW&amp;Cs in the air, allowing them to make the 6000 kilometre journey to Egypt and subsequently conduct longer range operations. Procurement of the YY-20 by Egypt has also been raised as a possibility, as the country currently lacks any classes of long range fighter aircraft which makes the ability to refuel in the air highly prized.&nbsp;China’s position as the only country other than the United States to have developed a substantial fifth generation fighter program, and its apparent lead in developing sixth generation fighters, has significantly bolstered the prestige of its combat aviation sector and increased foreign interest in making procurements.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/21/article_6805ac44774e65_17981640.PNG" title="Egyptian Air Force MiG-29M During Eagles of Civilisation 2025">Operating alongside Chinese J-10s, the Egyptian Air Force deployed its only non-Western class of modern fighter aircraft the MiG-29M, 46 of which were <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/why-egypt-bought-the-russian-mig-29m-when-it-already-had-america-s-f-16c-a-look-at-future-fleet-modernisation-plans" target="_blank">ordered from Russia in 2015</a> which made the country the largest operator of the class. The aircraft were purchased under a new administration at a time of worsening relations with the Western world, and are the country’s only modern fighters which have not seen their air-to-air capabilities downgraded. The J-10C has a significantly superior air-to-air combat capability than any fighter in the Egyptian Air Force, while also benefitting from lower maintenance needs and operational costs than its F-16, Rafale or MiG-29M. The Chinese fighter combines fifth generation level avionics including an AESA radar and cutting edge electronic warfare systems, with access to two of the world’s most capable air-to-air missile classes the PL-10 and PL-15. To place these capabilities in perspective, Rafales in Egyptian service <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/serbia-downgraded-rafale-no-missiles" target="_blank">lack access</a> to the class’ primary air-to-air missile the Meteor, due to European objections to straightening Egypt’s aerial warfare capabilities, while the country’s F-16s continue to rely on wholly obsolete Cold War era variants of the AIM-7 and AIM-9 missiles. Exercises with the PLA Air Force are expected to highlight the major discrepancies between the capabilities of the equipment which China and the Western world can offer Egypt, and the major transformation to capabilities which greater investment in procurements from China could allow the country to realise.&nbsp;
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Africa and South America, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]
— ‘Kill Switch’ Concerns: Portugal Considering Abandoning F-35 For Gripen E Fighters: at 4/19/25 4:14am
The Portuguese Defence Ministry in March 2025 initiated a reassessment of its air combat capability modernisation plans, with Defence Minister Nuno Melo at the time announcing the cancellation of plans to procure 27 to 28 F-35A fifth generation fighters under the “Air Force 5.3” modernisation program. The selection of the F-35 had previously been confirmed in April 2024 by Air Force Chief of Staff General Joao Cartaxo Alves. Concerns regarding the United States’ political reliability under the new Donald Trump administration were cited as causes for hesitation regarding the procurement of F-35, with Minister Melo having also cited potential restrictions on the Portuguese Air Force’s ability to operate the aircraft and receive a continued supply of spare parts. The ability of the U.S. Armed Forces to <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/german-policymakers-concerned-american-kill-switch-disable-f35" >remotely disable</a> F-35s fielded by the aircraft’s foreign operators, likely using the fighter’s highly centralised ALIS and ODIN logistics systems, has been viewed with significant concern by several European states. As an alternative to replace Portugal’s ageing and obsolete fleet of Cold War era F-16AM/BM fighters, the Defence Ministry has shown an interest in procuring Swedish Gripen E/F ‘4+ generation’ fighters. Canada, which has already placed orders for the F-35A, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/canada-talks-procure-gripen-f35-collapse" >confirmed</a> to similarly be considering procuring the aircraft and cancelling planned acquisitions of the F-35.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/20/article_6804593acd73a3_51474334.png" title="F-35 Fifth Generation Fighter">Preceding the inauguration of the new administration in Washington, the F-35 continued to&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/european-lost-finland-signs-f35" >gain new contracts&nbsp;</a>across the European continent, &nbsp;including from Switzerland and Germany in 2021 and 2022 the latter which initially showed&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/german-once-fired-its-air-force-chief-for-supporting-the-f-35-now-it-will-order-f-35s-for-nuclear-bombing-missions" >signs of reluctance&nbsp;</a>to acquire the jets, F-35s have gone on to proliferate across lower income Eastern European countries with orders from former communist states such as Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania. Northern Europe has been among the fastest regions to adopt the aircraft. Norway in 2021 became the first country in the world to field a fleet&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/norway-fifthgen-engineer-shortage-f35-ground" >formed entirely</a>&nbsp;of fifth generation fighters, while Denmark received its first F-35s in late September 2023 and Finland placed its first orders for the aircraft in December 2021.&nbsp;The fighter has consistently been evaluated to be overwhelmingly superior to other Western fighters in its overall performance, with the partial exception of the F-15EX heavyweight fourth generation fighter which is significantly more costly.<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/20/article_68045a06dbbd96_35736342.jpeg" title="Gripen (flanks) and F-16 Fighters"> The Gripen E/F is considered a ‘very light’ fighter from a smaller class than even regular lightweight fighters such as the F-16 or Chinese J-10, and is severely restricted in the size of its radar and weapons payload and in its flight performance. The fighter nevertheless has the advantages over the F-35 of very lo maintenance needs and operational costs, making it straightforward to sustain at high availability rates. As Portugal has one of the smallest defence budgets in Western Europe, and alongside Spain has the region’s lowest per capita GDP, procuring a less costly fighter may be considered adequate for the country’s future needs.&nbsp;Portuguese or Canadian orders would represent a major boon to the Gripen program, with the fighter having received only a single foreign order from Brazil, and consistently lost every tender in which it has competed against the F-35.&nbsp;Facing a lack of foreign interest in the aircraft, SAAB President and CEO Micael Johansson in August 2022 &nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/ceo-of-sweden-s-saab-admits-extreme-frustration-as-clients-don-t-want-gripen-fighters-no-sales-for-over-eight-years" >informed reporters</a>&nbsp;of his “extreme frustration” at the lack of sales, blaming political factors for the lack of sales. Although the F-35 has consistently been evaluated to be a much more capable aircraft, a political rift between the United States and its European allies could represent a turning point for the aircraft’s future.&nbsp;&nbsp;
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: North America, Western Europe and Oceania, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]
— North Korea Remains the Last Major MiG-23 Operator: How Capable Are the Fighters and How Long Will They Serve For?: at 4/18/25 4:53am
Following the overthrow of the Syrian state on December 8, 2024, the rapid destruction of the remnants of the Syrian Air Force ended a longstanding obstacle to the interests of the Western Bloc in the Middle East, while also eliminating the last major fleet of MiG-23 fighters in the world. Syria was the first foreign operator of the MiG-23, and received its first fighters in 1974, before receiving the most capable variant the fighter, the MiG-23ML/MLD, in late 1982. MiG-23MLs were credited by Syrian sources that year with shooting down three Israeli Air Force F-15 fighters in engagements over Lebanon, and significantly bolstered the country’s position in the air. After <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/syrian-defector-mig23-to-israel-performance" target="_blank">studying</a> a MiG-23ML obtained through a defection later that decade, Israeli personnel made clear their respect for its high sophistication, and particularly its early warning and countermeasures systems. The Israeli test pilot who flew thee aircraft said he was impressed by the fighter’s climb rate, and that after taking off with an F-15 and F-16 the MiG shot upward in a stiff climb “and left them standing.” The MiG-23ML/MLD would prove capable of going head to head with advanced Soviet fourth generation fighters during exercises in the 1980s. It was the third fighter class in the world after the F-14 and F-15 to integrate a look-down/shoot-down radar, the Sapfir-23, providing a significant advantage in situational awareness over most competing fighter classes.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/03/24/article_67e0c9c2a3f1d1_51146725.jpeg" title="Korean People`s Army Air Force MiG-23ML Fighters Over Kim Il Sung Square">Following Syria’s procurement of the MiG-23ML/MLD and its demonstration of the class’ combat potential, North Korea would two years later begin to acquire the aircraft. The country had been among the first to acquire the MiG-15, MIG-17 and MiG-21, but had not received more capable fighters since the 1960s due to a deterioration of relations with the Soviet Union. A warming of relations with Moscow, and concerns in Pyongyang that its fleet was tremendously outmatched by the F-15s and F-16s deployed by the U.S. Air Force in the region, led the country to place orders for the MiG-23ML, with the first eight of the aircraft delivered in September 1984 alongside two MiG-23UB trainers. A total estimated 48 MiG-23ML and 12 MiG-23UB fighters were delivered to the country, and were divided between the 56th Fighter Regiment at Toksan and the 57th Fighter Regiment at Onchon. North Korea was by some estimates the last client for newly produced MiG-23 fighters, with production of the class ending in 1985. Unlike Syria, however, which continued to procure second hand MiG-23ML/MLD fighters into the mid-2000s to build up a total MIG-23 fleet of close to 200 aircraft, North Korea would restrict the fighters to two units, and showed more interest in the MiG-29 which it would produce under license in the 1990s.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/03/24/article_67e0ca7b5c10d9_19683564.jpeg" title="Korean People`s Army MiG-23ML Pilot Boards Fighter">Following the collapse of the Syrian state, North Korea remains the only major operator of the MiG-23, with small fleets in Angola and Ethiopia expected to be phased out in the near future, leaving only a small number of aircraft in Cuba operational. While the MiG-23ML/MLD was significantly more capable than South Korea’s F-16s when procured, with a more powerful sensor suite and a beyond visual range targeting capability, the aircraft are today considered effectively obsolete. South Korean F-16s brought up to the F-16V standard with phased array radars and AIM-120C and AIM-9X missiles today retain overwhelming advantages at all ranges. There has been some speculation that the North Korean MiG-23s will benefit from modernisation of their avionics domestically with some overseas support, which could allow them to integrate the advanced<a href="https://www.38north.org/2022/10/air-to-air-missiles-could-be-the-north-korean-defense-sectors-next-breakthrough-why-it-matters/" target="_blank"> new air-to-air missiles</a> that have been developed in the country. Another option is that the fighters could be phased out of service or relegated to lower tier units as North Korea begins to procure more advanced fighters from Russia. The Korean People’s Army Air Force is <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-realistically-ship-hundreds-mig29-nkorea" target="_blank">expected to receive </a>significant numbers of modernised MiG-29s, with the country also speculated to be <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/expert-russia-nkorea-joint-fighter-units" target="_blank">planning to procure</a> Su-57 fifth generation fighters after North Korean officials <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/future-of-north-korean-aviation-in-russia-kim-jong-un-tours-plants-producing-su-35-and-su-57-fighters-and-sukhoi-airliners" target="_blank">inspected</a> the aircraft in Russia in September 2023. Although the MiG-23ML provided a sophisticated capability for its time, North Korea’s growing opportunities to field more capable fighters is likely to bring an end to prolific third generation aircraft’s time in service.&nbsp;
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Asia-Pacific, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]
— U.S. Forces Destroy Major Yemeni Port in Latest Attack: at 4/17/25 4:27am
The U.S. Central Command on April 17 issued a statement confirming the “destruction” of the Yemeni port of Ras Isa, although providing no further details on the scale of the attack or on the kinds of assets that were utilised. Footage has since confirmed massive fires at fuel storage facilities. The rationale for attacking the civilian port infrastructure was to undermine the economy of Yemeni Ansurullah Coalition forces, with which U.S. forces have been engaged in hostilities on a significant scale since October 2023. Efforts by the United States and its strategic partners in the Western world and Israel to neutralise the military capabilities of the Ansurullah Coalition have consistently been frustrated, with the Yemeni force continuing to launch missile strikes on Western and Israeli targets and conduct successful shootdowns of high value American drones.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/18/article_6801b95e514812_78057080.jpeg" title="Yemeni Ansurullah Coalition Forces on Parade">Following the defeat of the Syrian state in December 2024, which was a close strategic partner of Yemen’s Ansurullah Coalition, the United States and its partners have focused attentions on Yemen and escalated attacks. Frustrations to efforts to neutralise the Ansurullah Coalition’s fighting strength by attacking military targets has long been expected to fuel a growing interest in striking civilian targets that sustain its war effort. In November 2024 the military capabilities fielded by the Ansurullah Coalition began to gain greater publicity for their exceeding of previous estimates, with Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Bill LaPlante&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/yemeni-ansurullah-amazing-arsenal-shocked" target="_blank">stating</a> that its arsenal included missiles which “can do things that are just amazing.”” I’m an engineer and a physicist, and Ive been around missiles my whole career. What Ive seen of what the Houthis [Ansurullah] have done in the last six months is something that — Im just shocked,” he stated. He reiterated that their arsenal "can do some pretty amazing things," allowing for strikes both against Western ships far into the Red Sea, as well as against targets in Israel.&nbsp;
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Middle East, Missile and Space]
— When Soviet MiG-23ML Fighters Spooked the West Over Vietnam: at 4/16/25 4:37am
Following the reunification of Vietnam in 1975, the war-ravaged country would host a small Soviet military presence at Cam Ranh Bay, which simultaneously provided the USSR with access to the Pacific while taking pressure of Vietnamese defences as the country focused on post-war reconstruction. The facility would host a significant Soviet air force presence including Tu-16 tactical bombers and Tu-95 strategic bombers, with the former being equipped with anti-ship cruise missiles allowing it to threaten Western warships far beyond Vietnamese waters. Protecting Soviet facilities and providing escort to the bomber force, the Soviet Air Force was in 1986 confirmed by American reconnaissance to have deployed a new variant of its MiG-23 fighter, the MiG-23ML, to take over the defence at Cam Ranh Bay. The new MiG-23 was significantly more capable than prior variants, and after the American F-14 and F-15 was the world’s first fighter with a look-down shoot-down radar, the Sapfir-23. The fighter integrated a number of new technologies developed for fourth generation fighters, and could be visually distinguished from older MiG-23 variants by its swivelling stores pylons mounted under its outer wing panels. A dogtooth notch was also visible in the inboard leading edge of the wing glove, and improved the aircraft’s stability in yaw at high angles of attack.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/03/24/article_67e0c5ef1a0154_22233767.jpg" >The MiG-23ML had first seen combat in late 1982, after fighters exported to Syria engaged Israeli Air Force units over Lebanon. Syrian sources claimed that in engagements from November-December the aircraft successfully shot down three Israeli F-15s in air-to-air engagements, demonstrating a significantly superior capability over older MiG-23 variants. The fighter also proved capable of going head to head with advanced Soviet fourth generation fighters during exercises in the 1980s, and was the third fighter class in the world after the F-14 and F-15 to integrate a look-down/shoot-down radar, the Sapfir-23, providing a significant advantage in situational awareness over most rival fighters. The new significantly more sophisticated radar proved to be one of the MiG-23ML’s most distinct advantages over prior variants, increasing not only overall situational awareness, but also reliability as susceptibility to jamming was reduced considerably.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/03/24/article_67e0c8d6d199e9_89449395.jpg" title="Syrian MiG-23ML Fighters">Alongside deployments to Vietnam, a number of MiG-23ML/MLD fighters were deployed to Etorofu Island, a disputed territory claimed by Japan, with this highly sensitive deployment placing the aircraft against Japan’s large fleet of cutting edge F-15s, and indicating confidence in the MiG’s capabilities to take on top end American fighter aircraft. MiG-23MLs were also deployed to East Germany as part of the Group of Soviet Forces in the country. Soviet adversaries first gained access to the MiG-23ML after Syrian Air Force pilot Major Mohammed Bassem Adel defected on October 11, 1989, with the fighter’s performance during testing indicating that concerns regarding its capabilities had been well founded. After studying a MiG-23ML obtained through a defection later that decade, Israeli officials expressed surprise at its high sophistication particularly its early warning and countermeasures systems. The Israeli test pilot who flew thee aircraft said he was impressed by the fighter’s climb rate, and that after taking off with an F-15 and F-16 the MiG shot upward in a stiff climb “and left them standing.” The importance attributed to the MiG-23ML/MLD both both by the Soviet Union and by the West would diminish near the end of the 1980s, as the USSR introduced the more capable MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters in greater numbers. While the fighters had been intended to serve into the latter half of the 2000s, and to relieve continuous upgrades until a fifth generation single engine fighter was developed to replace them, the USSR’s disintegration and rapid contraction of the fleet led the MiG-23ML/MLD fleet to be retired in the 1990s without replacement as the Russian fighter fleet contracted to a small fraction of its Soviet era size.&nbsp;
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Asia-Pacific, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]
— Canada Holds Talks to Procure Swedish Gripen Fighters as F-35 Deal Collapse Looms: at 4/14/25 4:20am
The Canadian Defence Ministry is currently holding talks with the Swedish defence producer SAAB regarding the possible procurement of Gripen E/F fourth generation fighters, with Saab CEO Micael Johansson having on April 6 <a href="https://www.di.se/nyheter/jatteorder-hagrar-for-saab/" >confirmed</a> that negotiations were ongoing. The Gripens would replace 98 U.S.-supplied Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18A/B Hornet fighters, which first entered service in the country in 1982 and have long since been considered obsolete. Canada in March 2022 <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/canada-plans-purchase-of-88-f-35-stealth-jets-did-renewed-tensions-with-russia-spur-action" target="_blank">selected</a> the F-35A to succeed its F-18s, with procurement of 88 fighters planned at a cost of $14.2 billion, around $161 million per aircraft. The decision to resume talks on procuring an alternative fighter have primarily been stimulated by a sharp deterioration in relations with the United States, primarily due to threats to impose steep tariffs on imported Canadian goods. Statements by President Donald Trump regarding the possible annexation of Canada into the United States have further stimulated anti-American sentiment in the country. The F-35 has consistently been strongly favoured over competing aircraft including the Gripen in tenders across the world, and while being significantly more costly its combination of stealth capabilities, a far more powerful sensor suite, and superior network centric warfare capabilities are considered to make it a more cost effective aircraft for high intensity operations.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/15/article_67fdc2de1814e1_13990262.jpeg" title="Gripen Fighter">Although shifting procurement plans from the F-35 to the Gripen would be motivated primarily by political factors, the Swedish fighter does retain a number of advantages over its American counterpart. The F-35’s notoriously&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/f35-shortcomings-USAF-consider-f7">high operational costs</a>&nbsp;for a single engine fighter mean that over the fleet’s lifetime it is expected to set the Canadian Defence Ministry back by<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/canada-f35-53billion-cost-more" target="_blank"> close to $39 billion</a> in further expenses beyond initial procurement costs. The Gripen’s operational costs are well under half those of the F-35, which combined with a much lower procurement cost would allow for a fleet over twice as large to be fielded at similar expense, or for surplus funding to be allocated to procuring supporting assets such as AEW&amp;Cs. Greater investment in procuring larger quantities of long range cruise missiles could also be made to compensate for the fighter’s lack of stealth capabilities and poor suitability to penetrate heavily defended enemy airspace.&nbsp;The limitations of Sweden’s defence sector are largely compensated for by outsourcing significant parts of the Gripen E/F program to other countries, with the fighters using an American engine and Italian radar.<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/15/article_67fdc307d87ee6_32272147.png" title="U.S. Air Force F-35A at Eielson Air Force Base Alaska ">The Gripen’s lower maintenance needs ensure that availability rates remain far higher than those of the F-35, meaning even if a similar number of fighters is procured a significantly greater number of aircraft will be combat ready at any time. The Gripen also has the advantage of being able to operate more effectively from makeshift runways including regular motorways without extensive hardening or other modification, which reduces vulnerability to the targeting of airbases. The fighter’s limited situational awareness can potentially be compensated for by networking with U.S. Air Force F-35s based in Alaska, as the air forces of the two countries operate together under the North American Aerospace Defense Command. This allows the F-35s to share targeting data and other key information that could not be picked up by the Gripen’s much more limited sensors, with the two fighter classes potentially being highly complementary when operating together.&nbsp;
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: North America, Western Europe and Oceania, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]
— Did Russia’s 40N6 400km Range Air Defence Missile Just Shoot Down Ukraine’s F-16 Fighter?: at 4/13/25 7:58pm
Following the <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/ukraine-loses-f16-unclear-circumstances" >announcement</a> by the Ukrainian Air Force on April 12 that it had lost an&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/biden-hits-major-missile-upgrade-ukraine-f16" >F-16 fourth generation fighter</a>&nbsp;and its pilot during a combat mission, which had taken place under “extremely complicated conditions,” the Russian Defence Ministry reported that Russian air defences were responsible for destroying the aircraft. “Air defences shot down a Ukrainian F-16 aircraft, eight JDAM guided aerial bombs, seven U.S.-made HIMARS missiles and 207 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles,” the ministry reported. This was supported by a statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who in vowing a “strong and precise” response, implied that Russian forces had caused the loss of the aircraft and death of its pilot. The loss of an F-16 to ground based air defences came as a surprise to analysts, as while the fighters are near unanimously considered either <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/ukrainian-air-force-laments-f16-cant-compete-russian-su35" target="_blank">obsolete</a> or near obsolescence, they have consistently been operated far behind the frontlines to avoid being targeted. Ukraine’s Soviet built MiG-29 and Su-27 fourth generation fighters have borne the brunt of frontline combat duties and suffered rapid attrition as a result.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/14/article_67fcdc91eab7d5_37707174.jpg" title="A-50 AEW&amp;C and MiG-31 Interceptors">With F-16s continuing to operate far behind the frontlines, the loss of a system to Russian ground based air defence systems has raised the possibility that a very long ranged surface-to-air missile was used to neutralise the target deep into Ukrainian controlled territory. The most widely used missile with such capabilities is the 40N6, which has no known equivalents outside Russia. Although fielded from the October 2018, and&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/hypersonic-air-defence-chinese-pla-prepares-for-induction-of-second-s-400-missile-regiment-armed-with-400km-range-40n6e-missiles" >delivered</a>&nbsp;to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army from 2019, the missile class was not known to have been combat tested before its <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-combat-tests-s400-400km-pairing-a50" target="_blank">use in Ukraine</a> was reported in November 2023. Unconfirmed reports of its use had previously also emerged from mid-2022. The missile has proven capable of engaging targets 400 kilometres away. This is achieved by using targeting data either from forward deployed radar systems, or from large airborne radars carried by aircraft such as the <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-growing-use-a50u-hunt-ukr" target="_blank">A-50 AEW&amp;C system</a>&nbsp;or <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/foxhound-40yrs-ukraine-war-fight" >MiG-31 interceptor</a>, and allows engagements to be made well beyond the reach of sensors of the firing air defence system. The 40N6 is deployed by both the S-400 and<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-large-scale-deployment-s500-air-defence-crimea" target="_blank"> S-500 air defence systems</a>, and allows for targeting at ranges at which fighters like the F-16 would usually be considered relatively safe. The high mobility of these ground based systems can further complicate efforts to remain outside their engagement ranges.&nbsp;
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Missile and Space, Battlefield]
— Ukraine Loses F-16 Under Unclear Circumstances: at 4/12/25 7:49pm
The Ukrainian Air Force was on April 12 confirmed to have lost an <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/biden-hits-major-missile-upgrade-ukraine-f16" >F-16 fourth generation fighter</a> and its pilot under unclear circumstances during a “combat mission,” with the service reporting that the fighters were operating under “extremely complicated conditions.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed a “strong and precise” response to the loss, implying that Russian forces had caused the incident rather than friendly fire or a technical issue. The incident follows <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/conflicting-reports-ukraine-first-f16-loss" >confirmation</a> seven months prior on August 26 the Air Force had lost its first F-16, with the aircraft having been destroyed just 25 days after deliveries began. F-16s have been held back from frontline air-to-air engagements, and operate deep behind friendly lines and behind multiple layers of ground based air defence systems which has limited their losses. Having been supplied second hand by NATO members including the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway, the fighters are considered effectively obsolete and lack vital features such as Link 16 data links or AN/ANG-83 AESA radars that are vital to the competitiveness of modern F-16 variants.<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/13/article_67fbdd4fa765a8_75275918.jpeg" >Although <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/su57-half-price-ambitious-mig142" >major delays</a> to Russian efforts to field a modern fifth generation fighter fleet have had a highly detrimental effect on the capabilities of its top fighter units, in particular when compared to units in the fleets of China and the United States, against the ageing F-16s Ukraine has been supplied with the advantages enjoyed by Russia’s frontline fighters are <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/ukrainian-f16s-game-changer-russia" >overwhelming</a>. In March Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuri Ignat provided insight into the fighters’ capabilities, stating that they were incapable of engaging the <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/su35-dud-ten-years-expect" >Su-35 ‘4+ generation’ fighters</a> in the Russian Air Force. “The modifications that Ukraine has cannot compete one-on-one in an air battle. We need a comprehensive approach as the [Russian] Su-35 is a relatively new jet… This includes ground-based air defence, electronic warfare systems, and ideally, an airborne radar. Also crucial are onboard radars for our aircraft and air-to-air missiles,” he observed. Ukrainian misgivings regarding the F-16’s limitations contrast sharply with the high hopes previously expressed that the aircraft would be a game changer. “When [we] have F-16, we will win this war,” Ignat himself previously stated in May 2023, highlighting that Western supplied air defence systems, including American Patriot missile systems&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/patriot-station-batteries-destroyed-hypersonic" >recently destroyed&nbsp;</a>in Russian air strikes, were insufficient to protect Ukrainian airspace
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]
— China’s J-20 Fifth Generation Fighter Began Serial Production 10 Years Ago: A Turning Point For the Program: at 4/11/25 9:39pm
The year 2025 marks a decade since the entry into serial production of the fighter today being procured in greater numbers by a single service than any other in the world, namely the Chinese <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/chinese-ancient-qi-gong-train-elite-j20-pilots" target="_blank">J-20 Mighty Dragon</a> which forms the backbone of the country’s fleet. Following the first flight of the J-20’s first demonstrator airframe in January 2011, the program was able to progress to serial production in little over four years, which represented less than half the time of any other fighter of its generation. After the first prototype made its first flight in October 2012, the sixth and final J-20 pre-production prototype first flew in November 2015, by which time work on the first serial production airframes had been underway for months. With the designs of the demonstrators prototypes having changed significantly between models, as could be observed from their cockpit canopies, air intakes, and other areas, serial production models were visually distinct. Images of the first serially produced airframe – number 2101 – were first published in December 2015, with the aircraft making its first flight on January 18, 2016, before deliveries to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force began some time in mid-2016.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/03/25/article_67e25eafe82364_44135484.jpeg" title="J-20 Fighter" >The speed at which China’s defence sector was able to move between the first prototype and demonstrator flights, the initiation of serial production, and the bringing of the<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/china-s-j-20-stealth-fighter-marks-five-years-in-service-production-scale-expanding-as-upgrades-enhance-performance" target="_blank"> J-20 into service</a> in February 2017, bore a sharp contrast to rival fifth generation fighter programs in Russia and the United States, with the F-22, F-35 and Su-57 all seeing their first full units formed a full 14-15 years after the first demonstrator flights. This speed was key to allowing China to bridge the gap with the United States in its fifth generation fighter capabilities. The<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/china-surge-j20-120-f35s-48" target="_blank"> J-20’s production scale </a>would increase significantly from 2021, after incremental upgrades brought the fighter to a more satisfactory standard while development of the indigenous WS-10C engine ended reliance on a stopgap derivative of the Russian AL-31FM2 engine. The J-20 today is in production at over three times the scale of any other twin engine fighter at an estimated 100-120 aircraft per year, with only the much lighter F-35 being produced on comparable scale at approximately 140-150 fighters per year. With the F-35 being produced for over a dozen clients, however, only 40-48 of the aircraft join the U.S. Air Force every year, ensuring that China’s air force can build up its fifth generation fleet considerably more quickly as the sole client for the J-20.
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Asia-Pacific, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]
— Satellite Footage Confirms Su-35 Deployment at Algerian Airbase: at 4/10/25 11:44pm
Satellite footage has confirmed the arrival of Su-35 fighter aircraft in Algeria, verifying prior reports that the Algerian Air Force had begin to receive the aircraft to modernise its fleet. The emergence of this footage closely followed earlier satellite imagery in March showing a disassembled Su-35 being loaded into an An-124 transport at the <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-leading-fighter-fourth-phase" target="_blank">Komsomolsk on Amur Aircraft Plant </a>in the Russian Far East, where the fighters are manufactured and where export configured aircraft have long been in storage. Over 20 Su-35s were previously&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/most-new-su35s-going-to-egypt" >produced for Egypt&nbsp;</a>to meet an order placed in 2018, before Cairo cancelled orders under Western pressure. These aircraft were previously expected to be delivered to Iran, which was confirmed in 2023 to have <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/iran-confirms-order-finalised-su35-fighters" >ordered</a> Su-35s for its own air force. It was thus unexpected when the Algerian Air Force was on March 13 seen operating the same aircraft from Oum Bouaghi Air Base, with the same camouflage pattern originally intended for Egypt and added Algerian roundels. Footage of the fighters on the ground in the country has provided further important confirmation that the aircraft were delivered.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/11/article_67f980602c8df4_09568538.jpeg" title="Russian Air Force Su-35">In the final week of March the General Director of the state run United Arms Corporation Vadim Badekha revealed that plans were underway to <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-expanding-su35-fighter-production-scale-two-reasons-why" >expand the production scale</a> of the Su-35, with the expectation of large Iranian orders and expansion of the Russian Air Force’s own requirements for new fighters thought to be primary factors influencing this decision. <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/a-new-phase-in-indonesia-s-long-effort-to-purchase-russian-su-35-fighters-ambassador-confirms-contract-still-in-effect" >Indonesia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/expert-russia-nkorea-joint-fighter-units" >North Korea</a> are among the other states seen as potential clients. The fact that Su-35s built for Egypt were not delivered to Iran has fuelled speculation that the Iranian Air Force will procure a customised version of the fighter, and that it may produce the fighters under license, which could have ended its interest in acquiring the already built airframes. The possibility of Iran procuring a <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/su35-twin-seat-iran-aew-training" >twin seat variant </a>of the Su-35 has been raised in the past, with the country’s orders expected to mark a major <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/will-iran-save-russias-su35-fighter-program" >turning point</a> in the program that has so far been less successful than expected on export markets.<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/04/11/article_67f9822451a844_18786013.jpeg" title="Dimitry Shugayev and Said Chengriha with Su-57 Fighter Model in Algeria in 2020"> Unlike Iran, Algeria is expected to procure the Su-35 in only limited numbers, with he backbone of its fleet being formed by the Su-30MKA fighter, while the majority of future funds for procuring fighters are expected to be focused on the more advanced Su-57 fifth generation fighter. Algerian orders for the Su-57 were&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/algeria-confirmed-first-foreign-client-russia-su57-how-many" >confirmed</a>&nbsp;in February 2025 to have been placed, with the first of the aircraft set to arrive before the end of the year. Algerian interest in the Su-57 was a leading factor that made its procurement of the Su-35 appear unlikely in the past, with the fielding of both fighters alongside the Su-30MKA expected to significantly complicate maintenance procedures due to the limited commonality between them. The Su-57 has the benefit of comparable operational costs to the Su-35 despite its higher weight and advanced stealth features, and boasts a significantly superior performance with a more sophisticated sensor suite and a radar cross section orders of magnitude smaller. Procurement of the Su-57 will make Algeria the third operator of a non-American fifth generation fighter after China and Russia.
[Author: editorial@militarywatchmagazine.com (Military Watch Editorial Staff)] [Category: Africa and South America, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]

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