Moscow has been trying to sell its warships to Algeria for years – first offering Vasily Bykov-class patrol corvettes of the project 22160, and then 22380 corvettes, equipped with Kh-35 anti-ship missiles. However, the plan to sell them began to fall apart when w 2023 r. Algeria she bought a corvette from China. It was built by the Chinese shipyard Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group, the world's leading shipbuilder.
Currently, corvette 056 is one of the most modern warships sailing in African waters. It turned out to be such a good purchase for Algeria that… the country has just decided to buy six more such units and build at least one of them in its own shipyardthe Infodefensa website reported on Saturday.
Algeria for this purpose has already started the expansion of the shipyard in Annaba in cooperation with Italy. Once completed, the shipyard on Algeria's eastern coast should be able to produce corvette-class warships with hull lengths of up to 50 meters.
Algeria chose China. A painful blow to Russia
China quickly gained a growing share in the Algerian arms marketdisplacing it Russiaand significant purchases included YJ-12B and CX-1 anti-ship cruise missiles, CH-4 and WJ-700 drones, WM-80 rocket artillery systems, PLZ-45 self-propelled howitzers, HJ-12 anti-tank missile systems, electronic warfare systems CHL-906, and according to some sources even HQ-9B long-range air defense systems. Last August, Algerian media reported that the country is seriously considering purchasing Chinese VT-4 main battle tankswhich would replace a small number of Russian T-55 and T-62 tanks.
This change of trading partner is a painful blow to Russiawhich viewed Algeria as a loyal customer. According to the Washington Institute over 85 percent all equipment and weapons in the Algerian army are of Russian production. Currently, Algeria is finalizing the purchase of a fifth-generation fighter with Russia Su-57 made in stealth technology, i.e. with reduced detection.
Algeria was a very important naval client for Russia. The North African country has already purchased two Russian project 877 electric and diesel submarines and four project 636.6 silo submarines equipped with cruise missiles Caliber.