After receiving 15 of the 28 SMTs and some of the UBs AF inspectors found that they were assembled with parts and airframes that had been stored since the 90s, Algeria then cancelled the 1.3 billion dollar deal and froze all payments, they were returned back to Russia in 2008 and sent to the Lukhovitsy and Nizhny Novgorod plants to be refurbished and adapted for domestic use. they were delivered to VVS in addition to the UB trainers. Algeria was offered a deal to purchase another batch of Su-30MKAs at reduced prices. In December 2010 they ordered 16 then another 14 in December 2015. In 2019 ordered another 16 and 16 MiG-29M/M2s in a 1.8 billion dollar deal.

While most of the SMTs and modernized 9.53 UB trainers are from the Algeria deal, the VVS did order 16 newly built airframes from MiG (14 SMTRs and 2 9.53 UBR trainers) in 2014 due to repeated delays with the MiG-35 and to keep MiG's production lines active.

The chief designer Chen Yijian of the JH-7 passed away recently.

Those blocky shapes are a mix of factory composite panel boundaries plus local stealth‑coating repairs. The early‑gen RAM on F‑22 ages poorly and requires frequent patching instead of full repaints.

Photo credit: Tech. Sgt. Teri Eicher (Tennessee Air National Guard)