Image source: topwar.ru
A heavy all-weather long-range fighter Su-30MKA of the Algerian Air Force crashed during a training flight. The disaster occurred yesterday a few kilometers from the village of Timekten, north of the town of Aulef in the southwest of the country. This is reported by the MENADefense information portal with reference to eyewitnesses.
According to reports, the incident occurred on Wednesday morning a few seconds after the plane took off from Regan Air Base.
Image source: topwar.ru
Reported. that the fuel tanks were fully filled at the time of takeoff, which greatly reduced the crew's chances of escape. As a result of the crash, the fighter pilot was killed, the second crew member managed to eject, and nothing is known about his condition yet.
Immediately after the incident, a helicopter search and rescue team flew to the crash site of the combat aircraft. General Said Chanegriha, Deputy Minister of National Defense and Chief of Staff of the Algerian People's National Army, ordered an investigation to find out the causes and circumstances of the accident.
Image source: topwar.ru
— it is said in a special communique published after the disaster by the Ministry of National Defense of Algeria.
This is the second crash of the Su-30MKA fighter jet of the Algerian Air Force. The previous time a combat aircraft crashed was on January 27, 2020, at approximately 22:00 local time. The combat vehicle crashed 16 kilometers from the city of Ain az-Zitun, both pilots were killed. There were no casualties or damage on the ground. Just like yesterday, the Su-30MKA performed a training flight.
As of December 2023, the Algerian Air Force had over sixty Su-30MKA (Flanker-H according to the NATO classification) fighters in service. This modification of the combat vehicle was developed by the Russian company Sukhoi specifically for this country. The aircraft is based on the Indian Su-30MKI III and is its second modification after the Malaysian Su-30MMK.
This means that the machines are built according to the "duck" scheme, with a front horizontal tail, which increases the maneuverability of the aircraft. In addition, the fighter has thrust vector-controlled engines and a Bars radar station.
The aircraft has capabilities similar to the Su-37, with which it has many features and components in common. The first Russian-made version of the Su-30MKA was adopted by the Algerian Air Force in 2007.
