What I agree is that Algeria needs to have around 226 Fighter Jets like SU-30 or SU-35 or Rafale and also get 4 AWACS at least for there Air Force. Current number is even less than UAE Man @
Ceylal
Algeria is not going to buy Frenchie c-r-a-p. Algeria is a SOLID Russian ally. It's been like that since 1950s/1960s.
Everything of "strategic" importance from Improved Kilos, Su-30MKA, S-300 PMU2 and soon to be S-400 is from Russia.
No French fighters. Algeria has as mentioned ordered fighters equal to Su-35 from Russia. And the next step after that, in the 2020s is to introduce the PAKFA.
AAF is never going to buy Rafale.
Russian export plan for Algeria regarding PAKFA from 2025 and onwards:
I qoute:
According to CAWAT experts, potential buyers of the PAK FA’s export version include Algeria (projected purchasing period: 2025-2030)
Russian experts upbeat about export prospects for the PAK FA | Russia & India Report
It's all about have weapons, which Algeria can operate without restrictions. Without restrictions means NO Nato country will ever have any significal "leverage" over Algeria. Most of the weapons will therefore be from Russia & China and to some extent Germany, such as German frigates and APCs.
So Algeria will increase the number of aircraft, as it takes time. Remember, Algeria started to take first deliveries of "anything modern" around 2008/2009. So it's only 5-6 years ago. It takes time; however, it has picked up steam lately and 2015 is looking good for Algeria. Chinese and German frigates & corvettes on its way, and preparation for S-400 to arrive in 2016 + more fighters and Mi-28 helicopters.
Algeria doesn't care about terrorist UAE. UAE does not have any free will and it's a U.S. dog.
Algeria does not have any foreign troops on its soil - and doesn't bow down for anyone. Furthermore we are not getting drone bombed by the U.S. , which I think is sad that Pakistan is being, as the U.S. is killing Pakistani civilians.
My point is, it doesn't help you much to have 4-5 times more people that Algeria, and in addition to that F-16 Block 52 and nuclear weapons. The U.S. does what it wants which is to invade your country with troops, and bombing your civilians with drones for years now. This is what the U.S. is doing to someone who is according to them a "MNNA" - major non-NATO ally.
Algeria on the other hand has managed to avoid all this even will a lot smaller force, and despite two wars at its borders (Libya & Mali)
So I think it's impressive and deserves respect. All these other "mighty" armies of the Middle East are totally dependent on the West and their "strings attached" weapons, in addition to the U.S. having military bases everywhere. That's extremely humiliating for some fanboys on here who like to claim "mightyness", while not even being able to stand on their own legs, without U.S. having bases there and dictacting what weapons those countries will buy next, and where and how they are allowed to use them, and against whom.
I agree with you about AWACS as well, but in case of any fight, AAF would operate within Algeria for the most part, defending the nation, under the cover of S-300PMU2 and soon-to-be S-400 SAMs.
So I don't think you would see in any potential fight, Algerian Flankers going way off from its northern coast where most of the population is anyway, along with all strategic and other type of SAMs.
Access to GLONASS which Russia is about to grant to Algeria is another important thing. Doesn't help much to fight any Western country under GPS system; they would just jam and shut down everything.
