Russia Announces New Export Contracts for Su-57E Fighter Jets

During the opening of the DSA-2026 international arms exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport signed several export contracts for Su-57E fighter jets.

This was reported on the company’s website.

The aircraft has drawn interest from countries politically aligned with Moscow.

“The Su-57E is of great interest to partners, and several countries have already contracted this fighter. The list of customers is steadily expanding,” the company reported.

To date, the only confirmed foreign operator of the Su-57E is Algeria. The aircraft transfer was not publicly announced, and details of the deal were not disclosed for a long time.

However, in late 2025 and early 2026, observers increasingly recorded the aircraft operating in Algerian airspace and at Algerian Air Force bases, suggesting it had entered service.

Active negotiations on a possible purchase began in 2019, when Algeria’s delegation examined the Su-57E export variant at the MAKS air show in Russia.

At the time, media reports said a contract worth about $2 billion for 14 aircraft had been signed.

However, the deal was repeatedly delayed due to technical issues with Russia’s serial production and the need to adapt avionics to customer requirements.

In 2023-2024, the contract status remained unconfirmed. Russian officials referred to a “foreign customer” without naming the country.

Potential buyers include India and Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. These states have previously shown interest in Russian aircraft and operate Su-30-family fighter jets.

These customers typically seek favorable procurement terms. Indonesia, for example, previously planned to buy 11 Su-35 fighters for $1.14 billion, with part of the payment structured as a barter arrangement involving commodities such as coffee, tea, rubber, and palm oil.

Despite continued interest, no new Su-57E export contracts have been officially confirmed, and no additional customers have been publicly named.