Armenian Air Force to purchase SU-30SM fighter jets at Russian domestic prices as part of CSTO – report

Armenia and Russia have signed a contract on acquiring SU-30SM multi-role fighter jets, according to the Russian Kommersant newspaper.

According to the report, the Armenian Air Force will receive 4 units of the aircraft in 2020. Armenia has acquired the aircraft at a Russian loan and domestic prices, Kommersant said.

“The deal is being carried out within the framework of the CSTO. Despite the fact that the contract is considered a trade deal, and the purchase is carried out at the expense of a loan provided to the Russian side, the cost of each of the fighter jet of the Armenian Air Force will be the same as the ones for the Russian military,” a senior official of an aviation enterprise told Kommersant.

“This is the first contract signed with the Armenian Ministry of Defense during Nikol Pashinyan’s tenure. Reaffirming the firmness of positions with a CSTO ally was important for us,” the source told the newspaper.

The contract also envisages training for Armenian pilots.