March 11, 2012– Defense Update

Following the delivery of the first four batteries of S-300 PMU2 surface to air missiles from Russia, Algeria has begun inducting the systems, partly replacing former S-125 (SA-3) systems. In the following satellite images taken recently by the Eros B spy satellite operated by the geospatial services company ImageSat International, two of the SA-3 sites are seen converted to serve the S-300.

In 2010 Algeria also has acquired the S-300 PMU2 from Russi as part of $7.5 billion arms package struck between the prime minister of Algeria and Russian president Vladimir Putin in 2006. Other elements of this arms package included Su-30 multirole fighters and modern submarines. The Air Defense command received the first unit in 2008; four units are currently delivered. The delivery of the remaining four is included under the original contract options.

 

The SA-3 SAM site at Ouled Fayet has been upgraded into a S-300 PMU2 site in the past 3 years. The color image shows the SA-3 site as it was seen in 2007 while the larger image shows the completed upgraded infrastructure prepared to deploy the new S-300 PMU2. Photos: Google Earth and Imagesat International.

 

When compared to past images available on Google Earth, the scope of the Algerian preparations can be appreciated. These images show the Algerians spent significant efforts in upgrading and protecting their new sites, with infrastructure preparations previously unfamiliar with similar sites in other countries. The sites apparently being fortified with underground installations and overhead shields hiding each launcher position from aerial or space observation.

 

 

The SA-3 site at Reghaia, east of Algiers was converted into S-300 PMU2 between 2008 and 2011. Photos: Google Earth

 

 

The four images that appears on the right shows how the empty SA-3 site at Reghaia, east of Algiers, as it was in 2007. The following images record its transformation into the modern, highly protected S-300 PMU2 site. The second image shows the same site as seen on August 2008, The third image shows the same site a year later, in August 2009 with another image taken two years later, by September 2011. This exclusive Eros B photo shown here shows the completed site, with the six bunkers protecting the launchers completely buried underground, along with sheltered exits, leading to adjacent lunch pads. All launch pads are interlinked, enabling rapid access and relocation of launchers.

 

 

Another SA-3 site located west of Algires at the suburb of Ouled Fayet, has been upgraded into a S-300 PMU2 site in the past 3 years. The extent of the fortification works is visible in this Google Earth satellite view from April 2009, showing the erection of four concrete bunkers that were buried in the ground, with little visible signs on the massive buildings underground.

 

Training activity has also been identified at Boudouaou, few kilometers to the east. The image shows an S-300 PMU2 unit training with 64N6 Big-Bird and 30N6 Flap Lid radar systems deployed separately from the S-300 launchers. This feature is enabled by the radio-link, connecting the fire units to the radars and fire control, enabling more flexible dispersal of firing units and improved survivability for the entire site. In fact, a possible deployment technique would be to keep the radars apart from the site and move launchers out of shelters for firing, thus maintaining the majority of the unit protected underground.

 

Training activity has also been identified at Boudouaou, few kilometers to the east. The image shows an S-300 PMU2 unit training with 64N6 Big-Bird and 30N6 Flap Lid radar systems deployed separately from the S-300 launchers. Photo: Imagesat International

 

The sites retain the launch positions for other SAM assets, obviously some S-125 capablities. However, another possibility is that these positions could be occupied by the new SA-22 (Pantsir 1), protecting the bunkers from attacks by precision guided weapons.

 

In May 2010 Algeria and Russia concluded another contract for the delivery of 22 SA-22 Pantsir-S mobile air defense systems. The system has already been delivered to Syria and the UAE. The Pantsir-S unit combines 12 surface-to-air guided missiles with two 30mm air defense automatic guns. Pantsir-S is an autonomous, tracked low-level, mobile air-defense system that can protect mobile forces or augment the defense of strategic sites and medium-long range SAM sites with low-to-medium altitude air defense. The weapon is considered effective against guided weapons as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

12 September 2011 by defenceWeb

Algerian pilots in have started solo flying on the Yak-130 trainer in Russia ahead of aircraft deliveries later this year. The Algerian air force has 16 Yak-130 advanced trainers/light attack aircraft on order.

Algerian pilots performed their first solo flights on the Yak-130 at Irkutsk Aviation Plant’s airfield on the first of this month. They first underwent a three month course covering flight theory and practical training, according to Irkut.

Algerian pilots along with the Irkut’s flight crew made more than 100 flights on the Yak-130 before going solo. In addition to pilots, a large number of Algerian engineers and technicians are attending the Yak-130 training course provided by Irkut.

In 2006 Irkut Corporation signed a contract for 16 Yak-130s for the Algerian Air Force. According to the ITAR-TASS news agency, the Irkutsk Aviation Plant will start delivering Algeria’s aircraft before the end of the year.

“About 30 fighters have already been assembled and are at the final stage of readiness,” said Irkut Aircraft Corporation President Alexei Fyodorov.

Algeria bought the Yak-130s as part of an arms package worth US$7.5 billion during the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Algeria in March 2006. The deal included the purchase of 28 Sukhoi Su-30MKA and 34 MiG-29 multirole fighters (28 single-seat MiG-29SMTs and six two-seat MiG-29UBTs) as well as eight batteries of S-300PMU-2 air-defence missile systems and 24 Almaz-Antei 2S6M Tunguska 30 mm/SA-19 self-propelled air-defence systems. Deliveries of the MiG-29s was suspended and the 15 aircraft that had arrived returned to Russia following quality problems, but the Su-30s were accepted without issue.

The Yak-130 was designed to provide basic and advanced pilot training for Russian and foreign-made combat aircraft, including 4th+ and 5th generation fighters. The aircraft is fitted with an advanced glass cockpit and can carry 3 000 kg of weaponry.

The Yak-130 was chosen as the main aircraft for basic and advanced training of Russian Air Force pilots. Deliveries to the Russian Air Force, which expects to order an initial 72 aircraft, began in February last year.

Libya was the second export customer for the Yak-130 and ordered six. However, following the civil war there, deliveries have been frozen. “We do not know what will happen to it,” Fyodorov said about the Libyan contract. “But in any case, the planes that have been made for this country will be reoriented for another customer, first of all – for the Russian Air Force.”

Irkut estimates the market capacity for the Yak-130 is 250 aircraft between now and 2015.

July 6, 2011: STRATEGY PAGE

Algeria has ordered two Russian Stereguschyy class corvettes. Russia already has completed two of these and four more are under construction. These are small ships (2,200 tons displacement), costing about $125 million each. These "Project 20380" ships have impressive armament (two 30mm anti-missile cannon, one 100mm cannon, eight anti-ship missiles, six anti-submarine missiles, two eight cell anti-missile missile launchers, two 14.5mm machine-guns ). There is a helicopter platform, but the ship is not designed to carry one regularly. Crew size, of one hundred officers and sailors, is achieved by a large degree of automation. The ship also carries air search and navigation radars. It can cruise 6,500 kilometers on one load of fuel. Normally, the ship would stay out 7-10 days at a time, unless it received replenishment at sea. Like the American LCS, the Russian ship is meant for coastal operations. The Russian Navy wants at least fifty of them, but has to settle, for now, for 30.

Russia has become the go-to provider of short range, low cost, warships. Currently, Russian shipyards are building nearly $6 billion worth of warships for foreign customers (India, China, Algeria, Vietnam and Indonesia) and many of these orders were obtained because Russia had a reputation for inexpensive, rugged, coastal warships.