전투기 Su-35 12기를 인도받은 에티오피아

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When Computers Went To Sea | 이란, Su-35 2기 인수 - Daum 카페

이란, Su-35 2기 인수

When Computers Went To Sea | 이집트가 평가한 Su-35E; 애비오닉스가 구리고, 기름을 많이 먹고, AWACS 지원이 필수적 - Daum 카페

이집트가 평가한 Su-35E; 애비오닉스가 구리고, 기름을 많이 먹고, AWACS 지원이 필수적

에티오피아가 예정보다 1년 먼저 Su-35 12기를 인도받았네요.이집트가 취소한 발주분을 대신 받은 것 같다고 합니다. 도입 발표를 총리가 X에 게시하고, 모스크바에서 열리는 러시아-아프리카 정상회의에서 찍은 사진을 게시했네요 ㅎㅎ

# 에티오피아, 러시아제 Su-35 전투기 12대 인도받고 S-400 방공체계 도입 추진

에티오피아 총리는 다목적 전투기들이 예정보다 1년 일찍 도착했으며, 이번 계약에 S-400 방공포대 4개 도입 계획도 포함돼 있다고 밝혔다.

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2026년 10월 28일 오후 1시 54분(미국 동부시간)

에티오피아가 러시아제 Su-35 다목적 전투기 12대를 인도받았다고 아비 아머드 총리가 발표했다. 이로써 에티오피아 공군은 상당한 규모의 새로운 전투능력을 확보하게 됐다. 이번 계약에는 러시아의 S-400 지대공미사일체계 4개 포대도 포함돼 있지만, 인도 일정은 여전히 불분명하다. (사진: 아비 아머드 알리/X)

예상 밖의 움직임으로, 에티오피아가 러시아제 Su-35 다목적 전투기 12대를 인도받았다고 아비 아머드 총리가 발표했다. 이는 에티오피아 공군에 상당한 수준의 새로운 능력을 추가하는 것이다. 이번 계약에는 러시아의 S-400 지대공미사일체계 4개 포대 도입도 포함돼 있지만, 인도 일정은 여전히 불분명하다.

아비 총리는 모스크바와의 계약에 따라 전투기들이 예정보다 1년 일찍 도착했다고 밝혔으며, 인도 일정을 앞당기는 데 도움을 준 블라디미르 푸틴 러시아 대통령에게 감사를 표했다. 계약의 재정적 조건, 항공기 배치 기지, 추가 전투기의 계약 포함 여부는 공개되지 않았다. 에티오피아 총리는 자신의 X 계정에서 이 사실을 발표하면서, 자신과 다른 에티오피아 및 러시아 관계자들이 전투기 2대 옆에 서 있는 사진과 영상도 게시했다. 장소는 10월 28\~29일 모스크바에서 개최되는 제3차 러시아·아프리카 정상회의였던 것으로 보인다.

이번 도입은 에티오피아가 지속적인 국내 안보 문제와 아프리카의 뿔 지역 전역에서 발생하는 긴장 속에서 군사능력을 강화하려는 가운데 이뤄졌다.

에티오피아 표식이 적용된 Su-35 앞에서 에티오피아 및 러시아 관계자들과 함께 서 있는 아비 아머드 알리. (사진: 아비 아머드 알리/X)

Su-35는 NATO에서 플랭커(Flanker)라고 부르는 소련 시대 Su-27을 대폭 현대화한 파생형이다. 이 전투기는 높은 기동성을 제공하는 추력편향 엔진 2개와 첨단 레이더 및 기타 센서, 다양한 공대공 및 공대지 무장 탑재능력을 결합하고 있다.

특히 레이더와 장거리 공대공미사일 능력은 에티오피아가 적 항공기를 탐지하고 교전할 수 있는 능력을 크게 개선하며, 다목적 설계 덕분에 광범위한 타격임무도 수행할 수 있다.

Su-35 다목적 초고기동 전투기 / 에어로 인디아 2021

에티오피아는 이미 러시아에서 설계한 Su-27 전투기를 운용하고 있어 플랭커 계열에 상당한 친숙도를 갖추고 있다. 현재 전력은 복좌형을 포함한 중고 Su-27 약 10대, 많게는 15대로 구성되며, 2024년 Su-30K 2대가 추가됐다. Su-30K는 원래 인도에 임시 전력으로 공급하기 위해 생산됐으며, 이후 벨라루스에 보관됐다가 개수 작업을 거쳐 에티오피아에 인도됐다. 에티오피아의 플랭커 전투기들은 1990년대 에리트레아를 상대로 실전에 투입됐으며, 비전투 원인으로 인한 손실도 소수 발생했다.

그러나 Su-35를 도입하려면 전문적인 조종사 훈련, 추가 정비 기반시설, 무장 통합, 신뢰할 수 있는 예비부품 공급이 필요하다. 특히 마지막 항목은 모스크바가 실제로 항상 보장할 수 있었던 것은 아니다.

에티오피아에 처음 인도된 Su-35의 공식 인도식에 참석한 아비 아머드 알리. (사진: 아비 아머드 알리/X)

계획 중인 S-400 포대 4개 도입도 그에 못지않게 중요할 수 있다.

S-400은 항공기, 순항미사일, 특정 탄도미사일 위협과 교전하도록 설계된 기동식 방공체계다.

S-400 홍보 전시물 앞에서 러시아 관계자와 악수하는 아비 아머드 알리. (사진: 아비 아머드 알리/X)

이 체계들이 인도된다면 에티오피아가 군사시설, 핵심 기반시설 및 기타 전략적 장소를 공중공격으로부터 보호하는 능력이 크게 강화될 것이다.

에티오피아는 에리트레아, 지부티, 소말리아, 남수단, 수단과 국경을 접하는 아프리카의 뿔 지역에서 전략적으로 중요한 위치를 차지하고 있다. 에티오피아의 안보환경에는 해결되지 않은 다양한 지역적 긴장, 오랫동안 지속된 국경 분쟁, 국내 무력충돌이 포함된다.

에티오피아와 에리트레아의 관계는 양국의 전쟁 경험과 지속적인 긴장 때문에 특히 중요하다. 이집트 및 수단과의 관계 역시 나일강을 둘러싼 분쟁의 영향을 받고 있다.

아비 총리는 이번 전력 도입을 침략을 억제하고 국가주권을 강화하기 위한 수단으로 제시했다.

동시에 이번 인도는 아프리카 국가들에 첨단 군사장비를 공급하는 국가로서 러시아의 입지를 강화한다. 러시아의 대아프리카 수출품에는 전투기, 헬리콥터, 장갑차, 지상 기반 방공체계가 포함돼 있다.

특히 Su-35는 아프리카 대륙에서 오랫동안 러시아 군사장비를 도입해온 알제리에 이미 인도된 바 있으며, 이에 관한 자세한 내용은 별도 기사에서 확인할 수 있다.

알제리의 전투기들은 원래 이집트가 주문한 Su-35 24대의 생산분에서 나온 것으로 알려져 있다. 그러나 미국의 제재 위협과 F-15 제공 가능성이 제기되면서 이집트에 대한 인도 계획은 무산됐다. 특히 미국 정부는 미국의 적대세력에 대한 제재법(CAATSA)에 따라 이집트에 제재를 부과하겠다고 밝힌 바 있다.

이집트를 위해 생산됐지만 실제로 이집트에 인도되지는 않은 Su-35 가운데 한 대. (사진: @nskplanes)

CAATSA에는 러시아의 국방 또는 정보 분야와 중대한 거래를 하고 있다는 사실을 알면서도 거래에 관여한 것으로 확인된 당사자에게 제재를 부과하는 조항이 포함돼 있다. 미국 정부는 앞서 중국의 Su-35 전투기와 S-400 관련 장비 도입을 이유로 이 조항을 적용한 바 있다. 다만 에티오피아에 대한 어떠한 조치든 미국 정부의 별도 판단에 따라 결정될 것이다.

이집트를 위해 생산된 Su-35는 이란에 판매될 가능성과도 반복적으로 연결됐지만, 이 역시 실현되지 않았다.

에티오피아에 인도된 전투기 12대도 취소된 이집트 계약에서 남은 기체들일 가능성이 있다.

모스크바의 입장에서 이번 계약은 아프리카의 뿔 지역에서 중요한 국가와 방위협력을 계속하고 있음을 보여주는 두드러진 사례다. 이번 인도는 러시아와 아프리카 각국 정부가 정치적·경제적·군사적 관계를 심화하려는 보다 광범위한 노력 속에서 이뤄지기도 했다.

계약금액과 자금조달 방식은 공개되지 않았으며, 이에 따라 전투기의 장기 운용비용과 지원 기반시설 유지비용에 관한 의문이 남아 있다.

S-400 체계를 포함한 러시아 무기를 운송하는 데 정기적으로 사용되는 Il-76 수송기의 화물실에 대표단과 함께 있는 아비 아머드 알리. (사진: 아비 아머드 알리/X)

이번 계약은 러시아의 우크라이나 전쟁이라는 맥락에서도 살펴볼 필요가 있다.

러시아의 전면적인 우크라이나 침공과 이후 부과된 국제 제재는 소수의 긴밀한 동맹국을 제외한 다른 국가들에 어떤 종류의 군사장비든 판매하려는 노력을 어렵게 만들었다. 이러한 상황이 가까운 시일 내에 바뀔 가능성도 거의 없다. 같은 제재와 모스크바가 국제사회에서 점점 더 고립되는 상황을 고려하면, 이전에 다른 고객을 위해 생산했던 전투기가 포함되더라도 어떠한 형태의 수출 성과든 모스크바에는 매우 반가운 일이 될 것이다.

동시에 러시아 방위산업이 이러한 전투기들을 인도한 뒤 운용 중 지원을 제공할 수 있는 능력은 과거보다 더욱 의심스러워졌다. 침공 이후 모스크바가 자국 군대에 우선순위를 둬야 하는 상황과 핵심 부품에 대한 접근을 제한하는 서방의 제재가 결합하면서 문제가 더욱 복잡해졌다. 에티오피아의 경우 부품 인도나 정비 지원에 차질이 발생하면 작전준비태세에 특히 큰 영향을 미칠 수 있다. 러시아 방위산업이 자국의 주력 전투기인 Su-35S에 대한 지원도 제공해야 한다는 점은 이러한 문제를 더욱 가중한다.

궁극적으로 이번 도입은 보도된 내용대로라면 에티오피아의 전투기 전력에 상당한 규모의 증강을 가져온다. 계획 중인 S-400 체계는 이러한 현대화를 지상 기반 방공 분야까지 확대하고, 아프리카의 뿔 지역의 군사력 균형에도 추가적인 영향을 미칠 수 있다.

저자 연락처: thomas\@thewarzone.com

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토머스 뉴딕은 TWZ의 기자로 군사항공, 국방기술, 무기체계, 국제안보를 취재하고 있다. 독일 베를린에 거주하며 전 세계의 분쟁, 군사 현대화 노력, 새롭게 등장하는 항공우주 기술에 관해 보도한다. 특히 공군력과 현대전에서 공군력이 수행하는 역할에 깊은 관심을 두고 있다. 그의 보도는 현대 및 역사적 공군력, 특히 유럽의 공군력에 대한 깊은 전문지식을 바탕으로 하며, 유럽 대륙과 그 밖의 지역에서 군사항공, 항공작전, 항공우주 분야의 발전에 초점을 맞추고 있다.

Ethiopia Gets 12 Russian Su-35 Fighters, Eyes S-400 Air Defenses

Ethiopia Gets 12 Russian Su-35 Fighters, Eyes S-400 Air Defenses

Ethiopia Gets 12 Russian Su-35 Fighters, Eyes S-400 Air Defenses

The Ethiopian leader says the multirole fighter jets arrived a year ahead of schedule, with four S-400 batteries also planned under the deal.

Thomas Newdick

Published Oct 28, 2026 1:54 PM EDT

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Abiy Ahmed Ali/via X

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In a surprising development, Ethiopia has taken receipt of 12 Russian-made Su-35 multirole fighters, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced, adding a significant new capability to the Ethiopian Air Force. The agreement also calls for four batteries of Russia’s S-400 surface-to-air missile system, although their delivery schedule remains unclear.

Abiy said the fighters arrived a year ahead of schedule under an agreement with Moscow and thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for facilitating the accelerated delivery. The financial terms of the deal, the aircraft’s basing locations, and whether additional fighters are included in the agreement have not been disclosed. The Ethiopian leader announced the development on his X account, also posting photos and a video showing himself and other Ethiopian and Russian officials alongside two of the jets. The location appears to have been the third Russia-Africa Summit, taking place in Moscow on October 28-29.

The acquisition comes as Ethiopia seeks to strengthen its military capabilities amid persistent domestic security challenges and tensions across the Horn of Africa.

Abiy Ahmed Ali poses alongside Ethiopian and Russian officials in front of an Ethiopian-marked Su-35. Abiy Ahmed Ali/via X

The Su-35 is a heavily modernized derivative of the Soviet-era Su-27, known by NATO as the Flanker. It combines twin thrust-vectoring engines for a high degree of maneuverability, advanced radar and other sensors, and the ability to carry a range of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons.

Its radar and long-range air-to-air missile capabilities, in particular, represent a notable improvement for Ethiopia’s ability to detect and engage hostile aircraft, while its multirole design allows it to perform a wide range of strike missions.

Su-35 Multirole supermaneuverable fighter / AERO INDIA 2021

Ethiopia already operates Russian-designed Su-27 fighters, providing a considerable degree of familiarity with the Flanker family. The current fleet comprises around 10 (and perhaps as many as 15) secondhand Su-27s, including two-seaters, supplemented in 2024 by a pair of Su-30Ks. The latter were originally produced for India as interim equipment, and then ended up in storage in Belarus before being refurbished and delivered to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Flankers saw action against Eritrean opposition in the 1990s, and there have also been a handful of non-combat attrition losses.

However, introducing the Su-35 will still require specialized pilot training, additional maintenance infrastructure, weapons integration, and a dependable supply of spare parts. The latter, in particular, is something that Moscow has not always been able to guarantee in practice.

Abiy Ahmed Ali during the official handover of the first Ethiopian Su-35s. Abiy Ahmed Ali/via X

The planned acquisition of four S-400 batteries could prove equally significant.

The S-400 is a mobile air-defense system designed to engage aircraft, cruise missiles, and certain ballistic missile threats.

Abiy Ahmed Ali shakes hands with a Russian official in front of an S-400 promotional display. Abiy Ahmed Ali/via X

If delivered, the systems would considerably strengthen Ethiopia’s ability to protect military installations, critical infrastructure, and other strategic sites against aerial attack.

Ethiopia occupies a strategically important position in the Horn of Africa, bordering Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan. Its security environment includes various unresolved regional tensions, longstanding border disputes, and internal armed conflicts.

Ethiopia’s relationship with Eritrea remains particularly relevant given their history of war and continuing tensions. Relations with Egypt and Sudan are also shaped by disputes over the Nile.

Abiy has presented the acquisition as a means of deterring aggression and strengthening national sovereignty.

At the same time, the delivery reinforces Russia’s position as a supplier of advanced military equipment to African countries. Russian exports to the continent have included combat aircraft, helicopters, armored vehicles, and ground-based air-defense systems.

Su-35s, specifically, have previously been delivered to Algeria, a long-term recipient of Russian military equipment on the African continent, as you can read about here.

The Algerian jets are understood to have originated in a batch of Su-35s built for Egypt, which had ordered 24. However, the planned transfer to Egypt fell through, under the threat of U.S. sanctions and a teased offer of F-15s. In particular, Washington had said it would put sanctions on Cairo under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

One of the Su-35s produced for Egypt but never delivered to that country. @nskplanes 

CAATSA includes provisions for sanctions against parties found to have knowingly engaged in significant transactions with Russia’s defense or intelligence sectors. Washington previously invoked the provision against China over its acquisition of Su-35 fighters and S-400-related equipment, although any action against Ethiopia would depend on a separate U.S. determination.

The Su-35s built for Egypt were repeatedly connected with a sale to Iran, but this also never materialized.

Potentially, the 12 jets for Ethiopia could also have been left over from the abandoned Egyptian deal.

For Moscow, the deal provides a prominent example of continued defense cooperation with an important country in the Horn of Africa. The transfer also comes amid broader efforts by Russia and African governments to deepen political, economic, and military ties.

The agreement’s cost and financing arrangements have not been made public, leaving questions about the long-term expense of operating the fighters and maintaining their supporting infrastructure.

Abiy Ahmed Ali is seen as part of a delegation in the cargo hold of an Il-76 transport, an aircraft regularly used to transport Russian arms, including S-400 systems. Abiy Ahmed Ali/via X

The deal also needs to be seen in the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the subsequent international sanctions, have hampered efforts to secure sales for any kind of military equipment, other than to a handful of selected close allies, with little prospect that this will change any time soon. Amid those same sanctions, as well as Moscow’s increasing pariah status, any kind of export success will be very welcome for Moscow, even if it involves jets previously built for another customer.

At the same time, the ability of the Russian defense industry to provide in-service support for these jets, once they are delivered, is even more questionable than it was in the past. Since the invasion, Moscow’s need to prioritize its own forces, combined with Western sanctions restricting access to key components, has further complicated the situation. For Ethiopia, any disruption to parts deliveries or maintenance support could have an outsized impact on operational readiness, and this is compounded by the requirement of Russian industry to support Moscow’s own Su-35S jets, its primary fighter.

Ultimately, the acquisition represents a substantial reported addition to Ethiopia’s combat aircraft fleet. The planned S-400 systems could extend that modernization into ground-based air defense, and further influence the military balance in the Horn of Africa region.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

Thomas NewdickStaff Writer

Thomas Newdick is a staff writer at TWZ, where he covers military aviation, defense technology, weapons systems, and international security. Based in Berlin, Germany, he reports on conflicts, military modernization efforts, and emerging aerospace technologies around the world, with a particular interest in airpower and its role in contemporary warfare. His reporting is informed by deep expertise in modern and historical airpower, particularly in Europe, with a focus on military aviation, air campaigns, and aerospace developments across the continent and beyond.

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