Russia delivered six SU-30K fighter jets to Angola this year and two more are expected by the end of May, Angola’s Defense Minister Salviano de Jesus Sequeira told reporters.

Angolan SU30K fighter jet (Picture source Dimitriy Berdasov)

Sequeira said the country is interested in buying Russian S-400 air-defense systems, but there are no talks because of economic difficulties.

“Angolan armed forces are used to work with Russian weapons” and because of that the military cooperation between the two countries “will last forever”, Sequeira said. “Angola has always had good military cooperation with Russia, within the framework of our contract we have already received six Su-30K aircraft and…we hope that the other two will be delivered to Angola at the end of May".

Angola received its first two Su-30Ks in September 2017, with four spotted in satellite imagery in October 2018. It ordered 12 Su-30K fighters during a visit by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin to Luanda, Angola, in October 2013. Deliveries were originally anticipated around 2015 but delayed due to upgrade work – according to ITAR-TASS, modification work includes improvements to the radar and navigation system and installation of a video recorder, amongst other items.