Ethiopia Receives 12 Russian Su-35 Jets, Abiy Ahmed Announces
Ethiopia received 12 Russian-built Su-35 fighter jets one year ahead of schedule and plans to acquire four S-400 air defense battery systems, Abiy Ahmed announced on October 28. The delivery milestone arrives as Addis Ababa moves to double its combat fleet and counter rising regional instability.
Ethiopia Receives Su-35 Aircraft as S-400 Delivery Follows
Abiy confirmed via social media that the 12 single-seat, twin-engine Su-35 aircraft have already arrived in the country. The S-400 long-range mobile surface-to-air missile systems will be delivered in a subsequent phase. The total cost of the acquisition, the specific delivery timeline for the S-400 batteries, and the airbases designated to house the new hardware remain undisclosed, and Russian state-owned enterprise Rostec did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
The announcement coincided with the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow, where delegations from 48 countries gathered on October 28 and 29. During the summit, Abiy thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for accelerating the aircraft delivery.
Regional Security Dynamics
The military procurement unfolds against a backdrop of renewed armed conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. A rebel alliance launched an offensive in September, reigniting hostilities from a war that peaked between 2020 and 2022.
Simultaneously, diplomatic friction persists with neighboring Eritrea. Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic ties earlier in October. Eritrea fears an invasion by landlocked Ethiopia seeking direct access to the Red Sea. Sergey Lavrov stated on October 27 that Moscow intended to use the summit as a forum to organize contacts and foster a reconciliation between the two neighboring states.
Fleet Expansion Targets
The Su-35 rollout supports broader military modernization goals outlined earlier by the administration. In January, during celebrations marking the 90th anniversary of the Ethiopian Air Force, Abiy announced intentions to double the nation’s combat fleet and achieve fifth-generation capabilities by 2030. Abiy noted that investment in aircraft would need to be accompanied by the training of qualified professionals.
The Su-35, developed by Sukhoi as a heavily modernized derivative of the Su-27 family, features thrust-vectoring engines, passive electronically scanned array Irbis radar, and twelve external hardpoints capable of carrying up to eight tons of weaponry. While the manufacturer markets the airframe for both air superiority and strike roles, the Ethiopian government has not yet disclosed the accompanying munitions package.
Russia Offers Mediation While Ethiopia Integrates Su-35 Aircraft
Delegations at the Russia-Africa summit continue bilateral talks through October 29, with Russian officials offering mediation channels between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Meanwhile, the Ethiopian military faces the operational task of integrating the newly arrived Su-35 airframes into active service while awaiting the future shipment of the S-400 defense batteries.