Nigeria has apparently ordered Su-30 fighter jets from Russia and has already received two examples.
This is according to Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Deputy Director Anatoliy Punchuk, who was quoted by Russia’s Sputnik news agency on 26 June as saying Russia will deliver ten Su-30s in 2018.
Nigeria apparently received two Su-30s under a contract for the delivery of 12 of the Russian fighters this year.
The order comes as somewhat of a surprise as Nigeria has not been known to be interested in the Su-30, and has been pursuing the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder single-engine fighter jet. Nigeria previously selected the type but by the end of 2016 had not yet signed a contract. Indications were it would order three of the jets.
The Nigerian Air Force may intend to operate both the JF-17 and Su-30, with the JF-17 as its new lightweight fighter and the Su-30 as a heavy multirole platform.
Elsewhere in Africa, Algeria is in the process of receiving 14 Su-30MKAs from Russia and Angola is getting 12 former Indian Air Force Su-30MKs. One was seen in February this year flying after overhaul at the 558th Aircraft Repair Plant in Belarus.
* Subsequent to the publication of this article, it has emerged that Sputnik made a mistake in its report and referred to the Su-30 instead of the Mi-35M. Nigeria inducted into service its first two Mi-35Ms in April this year.
