Ethiopia Receives 12 Su-35 Fighters, Plans Four S-400 Batteries
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on 28 October 2026 that Ethiopia has received 12 Su-35 fighters from Russia and will acquire four S-400 air defence batteries. The statement came from Abiy’s own X account while he attended the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow. He said the jets arrived a year ahead of the schedule in the existing agreement. The contract value, S-400 delivery dates and basing locations have not been disclosed.
Last updated: 29 October 2026
What was announced, and by whom
The original source is Abiy’s X post. Al Jazeera and The War Zone reported the same claims. Abiy thanked President Vladimir Putin and said the equipment would strengthen Ethiopia’s ability to "preemptively deter aggression" (Al Jazeera). In a second post he wrote that the jets were newly deployed and would defend Ethiopian airspace.
Army Recognition reports that Rosoboronexport confirmed the transfer at the Moscow summit and that two aircraft were handed over at Zhukovsky Airport. That detail comes from a single outlet, and we found no separate Russian figure confirming 12 aircraft. For now, the number 12 rests on Abiy’s statement.
What the Su-35 is
The Su-35 (NATO name Flanker-E) is an advanced development of Sukhoi’s Su-27 family, with two thrust-vectoring engines, the long-range Irbis-E radar and a wide weapons range. It is considered Russia’s most advanced export fighter after the Su-57. "4++ generation" is a marketing and analyst label rather than a formal category.
Army Recognition compiled the following approximate figures; it is not confirmed that Ethiopia’s aircraft are configured identically:
| Feature | Value (Army Recognition) |
|---|---|
| Engines | 2 x AL-41F-1S, thrust vectoring |
| Radar | N035 Irbis-E passive electronically scanned array; engages up to 8 targets at once |
| Maximum speed | Mach 2.25 |
| Weapons load | Up to 8,000 kg on 12 stations |
| Maximum range | 3,600 km (ferry 4,500 km) |
Which missiles and munitions Ethiopia has acquired is not confirmed.
Ethiopia’s existing fleet
The War Zone puts Ethiopia’s fleet at roughly 10 (possibly up to 15) second-hand Su-27s plus two Su-30Ks delivered in 2024. Army Recognition lists 16 Su-27SK and six Su-30K. The figures conflict, so we do not give a single count. See our Ethiopia military inventory page for more.
At the January 2026 air force 90th anniversary show, Abiy spoke of doubling air power and moving to fifth-generation capability by 2030 (Addis Insight). A Yak-130 trainer was also seen; Janes reported such aircraft arriving from Russia (via Al Jazeera).
Order, delivery and inventory are different things
Rostec files leaked by a group called Black Mirror in October 2025 showed orders placed in 2022 for control and display systems for six Su-35s designated for Ethiopia (UNITED24 Media). The number now announced is 12. Whether that reflects an extra order or a different line item has not been explained. Addis Insight mentions unconfirmed reports of up to eight aircraft.
Readiness is a separate question. Army Recognition estimates that at 60-75 percent mission-capable rates, only 7-9 of 12 aircraft would be available; that is an estimate, not official data. The War Zone adds that pilot training, maintenance, weapons integration and spare parts are hard problems, and that the war in Ukraine and sanctions strain Russian support.
The S-400
The S-400 is a mobile system designed to engage aircraft, cruise missiles and some ballistic missiles. Abiy said Ethiopia will acquire four batteries, with no timeline. Benedict Manzin of Sibylline told Al Jazeera the systems would work best against conventional air threats and that small, cheap drones can overwhelm air defences.
Regional context
The announcement comes amid tension with Eritrea and renewed war in Tigray. According to Al Jazeera, government forces entered Mekelle on 4 October, and fighting with the Fano group in Amhara continues. Disputes with Egypt and Sudan over the Nile are also part of the backdrop (The War Zone). The War Zone speculates the jets could be left over from Egypt’s Su-35 order, which was never delivered; that is unconfirmed. SIPRI data show Russia supplied 15 percent of Africa’s major arms imports in 2021-2025 (Al Jazeera).
Is there a Turkish angle?
A direct comparison makes little sense: the Su-35 is a heavy air-superiority fighter and the S-400 is long-range air defence. Turkey has offered nothing in that class to Ethiopia. Ethiopia does operate Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2 and has been reported as an Akıncı customer, with quantities undisclosed (Overt Defense). Ethiopia is therefore building an air force that flies both Russian fighters and Turkish drones.
For more on regional militaries, see why Egypt has Africa’s strongest military and our earlier report, Russia delivers first Su-35 fighters to Ethiopia.
FAQ
How many Su-35s did Ethiopia receive?
Abiy Ahmed said 12. We found no separate Russian statement confirming that number, and one outlet reports only two aircraft handed over.
Is Ethiopia buying the S-400?
Abiy announced four S-400 batteries. Delivery dates and contract value were not disclosed.
How much did the Su-35 deal cost?
The value has not been published, so we give no unit cost.
Sources
- Al Jazeera, 28 Oct 2026: aljazeera.com
- Al Jazeera, 29 Oct 2026: aljazeera.com
- The War Zone: twz.com
- Army Recognition: armyrecognition.com
- UNITED24 Media: united24media.com
- Addis Insight: addisinsight.net
- Overt Defense: overtdefense.com
