Russian weapons prevail in the army of the North African stateTwo countries in the Middle East and North Africa region invariably remained the closest allies of the Soviet Union – Syria and Algeria.
The Russian Federation, surprisingly enough, managed to "inherit" both of these allies – at least in terms of military-technical cooperation.
However, the very existence of Syria now depends entirely on Russia. Algeria's situation is not so dramatic. In fact, it turned out to be the only Arab republic that was able to completely avoid the catastrophe of the "Arab Spring" of 2011-2012. In political terms, Algeria's orientation towards Moscow is not, like that of the current Damascus, unambiguous and absolute. But in terms of arms purchases, one can only dream of such a client. This is greatly facilitated by the presence of Algeria's huge oil and gas reserves.
AT THE DAWN OF INDEPENDENCEIndependent Algeria was born as a result of the heaviest anti-colonial war against France ("Combat operations of France after World War II", "HBO", 11/15/19).
In military terms, the Algerian rebels, in fact, lost it. But they brought the metropolis to complete moral exhaustion – and, as a result, to surrender.
Even during the war, Moscow actively helped the Arabs. And after the country gained independence, the Soviet Union became an almost exclusive supplier of military equipment for the Armed Forces of Algeria.
Only 44 AMX-13 light tanks, 54 AML-60/90 armored vehicles and two SA313 Alouette light helicopters remained from France to the Algerian army. Algeria received six more AMX-13s from Morocco (their quarrel was still ahead). And five MiG-15 fighters and several light aircraft came from Egypt, which at that time was a very active "fighter against imperialism."
But the Soviet Union already in the 1960s supplied Algeria with more than 300 tanks (T-34-85, T–54, T-55), more than 400 BTR-40 and BTR-152, at least 400 guns, mortars, multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) and anti-tank self-propelled artillery (ACS) (ISU-122 and ISU-152) and two divisions of anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) S-75. As well as 24 Il-28 bombers, more than 130 fighters (MiG-15, MiG-17, MiG-21F-13), up to 30 transport aircraft, up to 40 helicopters. As well as 6 small anti-submarine ships (MPCs), 9 missile and 12 torpedo boats, 2 minesweepers.
FORMATION AND DIVERSIFICATIONDuring the October 1973 War ("Israel's Day of Judgment", "HBO", 19.10.18), Algeria showed Arab solidarity – albeit on a limited scale.
He sent 48 combat aircraft from his Air Force to the Egyptian front (23 MiG-17, 13 MiG-21, 12 Su-7). Of these, one MiG-21 and Su-7 were lost.
In the mid-1970s, Algeria quarreled with Morocco and began supplying weapons to the rebels from the Western Sahara POLISARIO Front ("Waiting for a new war", "HBO", 05/25/18). How many and what kind of equipment arrived there is still unknown. But, apparently, we are talking about at least dozens of T-55 tanks, BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles, M-43 mortars, MLRS, portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS), anti-aircraft self-propelled guns (ZSU) and even one division of the Kvadrat air defense system for the period from the beginning of the conflict to this of the day.
At the same time, the supply of Soviet weapons to Algeria continued in the 1970s. At least 20 Luna tactical missile launchers, 330 T-62 tanks, more than 500 BTR-50 and BTR-60, 48 BM-21 MLRS, 20 Osa and 40 Strela-1 sams, up to 250 ZSU, several hundred Strela-2 MANPADS were received, 30 Su-7 and 32 Su-20 attack aircraft, up to 90 MiG-21MF fighters, 65 MiG-23 fighter-bombers, up to 30 MiG-25 interceptors and reconnaissance aircraft, up to 20 Mi-24 combat helicopters, up to 40 multi-purpose Mi-8 and Mi-6 transport, 9 missile boats, etc. 205U, landing ship 771 ave.
Egypt thanked Algeria for its help in the war with 20 primitive armored personnel carriers "Walid" of its own production. France stopped being offended by Algeria and sold him about three dozen SM-170 "Magister" training aircraft. Six patrol boats were received from Italy, 11 F-27 transport aircraft from the Netherlands, 11 light and training aircraft from the USA.
In the 1980s, Algeria continued to gradually diversify its military imports. Two dozen C-130N Hercules transport aircraft were purchased in the USA. In the UK there are 6 patrol boats (of which 4 were built in Algeria itself) and 2 landing ships. In France – 55 M-3 armored personnel carriers, in Romania – 6 IAR316 helicopters (manufactured under a French license). In Czechoslovakia – up to a hundred training and combat training aircraft L-39, Z-43 and Z-142 (and most of the latter were produced in Algeria itself). The country has also started building its own corvettes.
Nevertheless, the USSR remained the main supplier of weapons in this decade. From him, Algeria managed to receive 300 T-72 tanks, 800 BMP-1 and 225 BMP-2, 170 2S1 and 2S3 self-propelled guns, more than 200 towed guns, up to 12 divisions of the S-125 and 10 divisions of the Kvadrat air defense system, 10 Su-24 bombers, up to 20 Mi-24 helicopters, 9 IL-76 transport planes, 2 old submarines 633 Ave., and then 2 newest 877 Ave., 3 frigates 1159 Ave. and 1234 MRK Ave.
RECENT PASTIn the early 1990s, Algeria, in accordance with the worldwide trend, decided to move from authoritarianism to democracy.
In 1992, radical Islamists won the first free elections. For some reason, the Algerian military, brought up in a secular spirit, did not like it. They decided to return to "traditional" authoritarianism in order not to get totalitarianism, which came on the shoulders of democracy.
The military canceled the election results and took power in Algeria into their own hands, which led to a severe civil war. Several hundred thousand people died during this war. However, in the early 2000s, it ended with the victory of the government forces, who showed commendable firmness and determination.
Although there were no formal political restrictions on arms purchases from Algeria now, Western countries reacted very coolly to the "suppression of democracy." Therefore, Algeria received only 9 French AS350 light helicopters during these years. In the country itself, the construction of patrol boats of the Kebir type continued under a British license.
Egypt treated Algeria's problems with much greater understanding, having supplied it with 200 Fahd armored personnel carriers. The countries of the former USSR and Eastern Europe willingly sold Algeria Soviet and their own weapons, which were well known to him. A hundred and fifty OT-64 armored personnel carriers and 24 L-39 aircraft came from the Czech Republic, 54 BMP-2 from Slovakia, 67 T-72 tanks, 64 BMP-2, 5 MiG-29 fighters and 28 Mi-24V helicopters from Ukraine, another 25 MiG-29 and 2 Su-24 bombers – from Belarus.
But Russia remained the most important supplier of weapons to Algeria in this decade, from where 150 BTR-80, 18 Smerch MLRS, 5 Ka-32 helicopters and up to fifty Mi-8s arrived.
MODERNITYIn the 21st century (especially since the end of the noughties), the internal situation in the country began to normalize.
At the same time, high revenues from oil and gas exports made it possible to engage in a radical technical upgrade of the Armed Forces in all classes of weapons.
The United States, however, remained very passive in this arms market. From them, the Algerian Air Force received only a few light aircraft and helicopters, as well as 30 armored vehicles of the MakhRgo (MRAP class). Great Britain supplied Algeria with a dozen and a half EN101 and Super Links helicopters, France – 9 AS355 helicopters and two dozen patrol boats, Spain – 6 C-295 transport aircraft, Poland – 8 W-3 multipurpose helicopters.
Of the Western countries, Germany and Italy now have the most active military-technical cooperation with Algeria. Germany sold Algeria 2 newest frigates MEKO-A200. In Algeria itself, under a German license, the production of the Trz-1 Fuchs armored personnel carrier is underway (approximately 600 vehicles have been delivered now, a total of 980 are expected to be produced). Italy has built an amphibious helicopter dock ship (DVKD) for Algeria according to a slightly modified design of its ship "San Giorgio" and a minesweeper (one or two more minesweepers are under construction). And also sold Algeria about 40 different helicopters.
Under the license of the UAE, 200 Nimr armored vehicles were produced in Algeria. South Africa supplies Algeria with various missile weapons, and has also upgraded at least 23 Mi-24 helicopters. An additional 21 T-72 tanks and 16 Mi-24V helicopters were purchased in Ukraine.
He turned his attention to the Algerian market and China. He supplied Algeria with 3 frigates of the S-28A Ave., as well as at least 120 different artillery systems (self-propelled guns PLZ-45, towed guns Toure 88, MLRS SR-5, mortars SM-4 and W-86), up to a hundred anti-tank missile systems (ATGM) HJ-12, at least 10 combat unmanned aircraft (UAVs) CH-3 and CH-4.
WITH WHOM WILL WE FIGHT?As for Russia, Algeria has confidently entered the top five major buyers of its weapons.
He acquired from Moscow a wide range of the most modern equipment, and in very significant quantities. So significant that the question involuntarily arises: with whom is this country going to wage such a large-scale war?
At first, Algeria bought used aircraft from Russia – 25 Su-24 bombers, 6 MiG-29 fighters, 6 Il-78 tankers. All BMP-1s were upgraded to the BMP-2 level by installing the Berezhok combat module. Also, all frigates of 1159 Ave. and small missile ships (MRCS) of 1234 Ave. were modernized (in particular, anti-ship missiles X-35 "Uranus" were installed on them). Then the deliveries of completely new equipment began.
Since the mid-noughties, Algeria has bought from Russia 12 Iskander tactical missile systems and at least 75 missiles for them, more than 500 T-90S tanks, 120 Terminator tank support vehicles (BMPT) (on the T-72 chassis), 4 flamethrower MLRS TOS-1A, 11 self-propelled ATGM "Kornet" on armored vehicles "Tiger", 3 regiments (8 divisions) of anti-aircraft missile systems S-300PMU2, at least 1 division of the Buk-M2 air defense system, 38 anti-aircraft missile and gun systems "Pantsir-S1", 52 fighter-bomber Su-30, 16 training Yak-130 aircraft, up to 42 Mi-28N attack helicopters and 14 Mi-26 heavy transport helicopters, 4 submarines of 636 Ave., a significant number of missiles for various purposes and naval weapons.
Algeria refused the MiG-29SMT fighters (after which they were adopted by the Russian Air Force itself), which caused a small Russian-Algerian scandal. Which, however, was quickly extinguished by the acquisition of the Su-30. There are persistent rumors about Algeria's purchases of Su-34 bombers from Russia and even 5th generation fighters (either Su-57 or Su-75).
Thanks to these supplies, Algeria ranks second in Africa in terms of its military potential after Egypt and third in the Middle East and North Africa region (after Israel and Egypt). And there is no doubt that this potential will continue to grow. Mainly thanks to Russia. Whether this potential will be applied in the case is a question that deserves a separate discussion.
Alexander KhramchikhinAlexander Anatolyevich Khramchikhin is an independent military expert.