Commentators at Military Watch Magazine argue that the arrival of Russia’s fifth-generation Su-57 fighter in Algeria has shifted the balance of power in North Africa and the western Mediterranean.

The publication points to recently surfaced footage showing a pair of Su-57s that are believed to be already in service with the Algerian Air Force. According to their assessment, Algeria may have ordered around 12–14 of these aircraft from Moscow to replace its Soviet-era MiG-25PD interceptors. The authors add that Algeria is on track to become the first country in both the Arab world and Africa to operate fifth-generation fighters.

They write that the sale of Su-57s to Algeria has, in their view, significantly altered the regional airpower equation, giving Algiers a clear advantage over fourth-generation European fighters such as the Rafale and, in some respects, bringing its capability closer to that of the F-35.

Military Watch Magazine also maintains that NATO member states are seen as the primary source of security threats for Algeria in the region, especially after the 2011 strike on neighboring Libya, which led to large-scale destruction and instability. The authors note that Algeria remains the only Arab state, with partial exceptions like Yemen, Sudan and Mauritania, that is still outside the Western sphere of influence, and therefore they expect it to continue facing serious security challenges from Western countries and their regional partners, including Turkey, Israel and the UAE.