Hackers reveal Ethiopia’s secret Su-35 fighter jet deal with Russia
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
A hacker group known as Black Mirror leaked internal Rostec documents indicating Ethiopia signed a contract to purchase six Su-35 fighter jets from Russia.
On October 3, 2025, files leaked by the hacker collective Black Mirror revealed that Ethiopia reached an agreement with Russia’s state defense company Rostec to acquire six Su-35 multirole fighter jets. The documents, which include pricing and production schedules, suggest the deal is in an advanced stage, and also bring new evidence of ongoing Russian defense exports to African nations despite international sanctions.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Su-35’s range of 3,600 kilometers, radar detection capacity of up to 400 kilometers, and compatibility with a variety of air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles would allow the Ethiopian Air Force to improve both its defensive and strike missions. (Picture source: V. Kuzmin)
A large batch of internal files belonging to Russia’s state defense conglomerate Rostec was leaked online by a hacker collective identifying itself as Black Mirror. The group claimed to have accessed more than 300 documents outlining pricing structures, delivery schedules, and export plans for several advanced Sukhoi fighter aircraft. Among the data were entries revealing that Ethiopia has signed a contract to acquire six Su-35 multirole fighter jets, making it one of three countries featured in the dataset along with Iran and Algeria. The leak also contained files that mention equipment deliveries from KRET, a Rostec subsidiary specializing in electronic warfare and avionics, which produces systems for export-configured Sukhoi aircraft.
According to the timeline presented in the leaked Rostec material, most of the aircraft contracts were signed either shortly before or soon after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with deliveries scheduled to continue through the latter half of this decade. The Ethiopian order for six Su-35s appears to be in an advanced phase, and the documents suggest that production activities or early deliveries could already have started. The same dataset identifies 48 Su-35 fighters for Iran, along with 12 Su-57 fifth-generation fighters and 14 Su-34 strike aircraft for Algeria. Rostec and the Ethiopian government have not issued public statements regarding the content of the leak, and there is no official confirmation of deliveries. Ethiopia’s acquisition of Su-35 fighters, if proven accurate, would represent Ethiopia’s most substantial fighter jet acquisition in recent years, as well as strengthening Ethiopia’s ability to protect national airspace, especially compared with the aging Su-27s and MiG-23s currently in service.
Production of the Su-35 began in 2007 at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant, now part of the Sukhoi Company under the United Aircraft Corporation. The aircraft entered Russian service in 2014, following an initial domestic order for 48 aircraft placed in 2009. Additional orders expanded the fleet to more than 120 units by 2025. The fighter has been deployed in several theaters, including Syria and Ukraine, and serves with multiple Russian regiments across the Far East and Western regions. Export contracts have included 24 aircraft for China delivered between 2016 and 2018, and ongoing deliveries to Algeria, which received its first Su-35 units in March 2025. Paradoxically, the Su-35’s operational record both demonstrates the aircraft’s effectiveness and explains its limited export appeal.
The Su-35, known under the NATO reporting name Flanker-E, is a twin-engine, single-seat, supermaneuverable fighter developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau as an advanced derivative of the Su-27. The aircraft is designed for both air superiority and precision strike operations. It is powered by two Saturn AL-41F1S afterburning turbofan engines, each generating up to 142 kilonewtons of thrust in emergency power mode, giving the aircraft limited supercruise capability at speeds above Mach 1.1. The Su-35 can reach a top speed of approximately 2,400 kilometers per hour, operate at altitudes up to 18,000 meters, and achieve a combat range of around 1,600 kilometers. The airframe’s design incorporates thrust-vectoring nozzles, composite materials, and structural modifications to reduce weight while maintaining strength. These features provide a high thrust-to-weight ratio exceeding 1.1 when flying with half fuel load, enabling sustained maneuvering at up to 9 g.
The aircraft’s avionics suite centers on the N035 Irbis-E passive electronically scanned array radar, an evolution of the N011M system, capable of detecting aerial targets at distances up to 400 kilometers and tracking thirty simultaneously while engaging eight. Additional onboard sensors include the OLS-35 infrared search and track system, used for target detection without radar emissions, and the L175M Khibiny-M electronic countermeasure system that provides protection against radar-guided threats. The Su-35’s cockpit features two multifunction liquid crystal displays measuring 23 by 30 centimeters, a head-up display, and integrated Hands On Throttle-And-Stick (HOTAS) controls. The aircraft’s radar cross-section has been reduced through the application of radar-absorbent materials on the engine inlets and front compressor stages, which lower detectability to an estimated 1 to 3 square meters.
In terms of armament, the Su-35 carries up to 8,000 kilograms of external ordnance across twelve hardpoints, comprising air-to-air, anti-ship, and air-to-surface weapons. It is compatible with R-77 and R-73 air-to-air missiles, Kh-29 and Kh-59 guided missiles, and Kh-31 anti-radiation and anti-ship variants. The aircraft can also deploy precision-guided bombs such as the KAB-500 and KAB-1500 series, providing versatility across a range of mission types. It is equipped with a 30 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1 cannon with 150 rounds for close combat engagements. The combination of long-range detection systems and diverse weapon integration allows the Su-35 to conduct interception, escort, and strike operations under various conditions. The fighter’s internal fuel capacity of 11,500 kilograms gives it an operational radius of 1,600 kilometers and an extended ferry range of 4,500 kilometers when fitted with external fuel tanks.
In practice, despite being among Russia’s most advanced multirole fighters, the Sukhoï Su-35 has not achieved widespread foreign sales. Priced at an estimated $85 to $100 million per unit, depending on configuration and support, the fighter’s high acquisition and maintenance expenses have deterred several potential buyers, and the availability of newer fifth-generation fighter jets such as the Su-57 has now further constrained its attractiveness abroad. Its deployment in Syria and Ukraine has shown that it can perform effectively in air patrol, interception, and precision-strike roles, yet it has not provided decisive advantages: in Ukraine, multiple Su-35s have been lost in combat and to friendly fire, revealing weaknesses in electronic identification and situational awareness systems. The aircraft’s large radar cross-section, limited low-observable features, and reliance on the older Irbis-E radar architecture have also reduced its survivability against modern integrated air defense systems, air-to-air missiles, and networked aircraft. Therefore, actual sales have remained confined to Russian close allies, such as China, Algeria, and now Ethiopia.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
A hacker group known as Black Mirror leaked internal Rostec documents indicating Ethiopia signed a contract to purchase six Su-35 fighter jets from Russia.
On October 3, 2025, files leaked by the hacker collective Black Mirror revealed that Ethiopia reached an agreement with Russia’s state defense company Rostec to acquire six Su-35 multirole fighter jets. The documents, which include pricing and production schedules, suggest the deal is in an advanced stage, and also bring new evidence of ongoing Russian defense exports to African nations despite international sanctions.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Su-35’s range of 3,600 kilometers, radar detection capacity of up to 400 kilometers, and compatibility with a variety of air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles would allow the Ethiopian Air Force to improve both its defensive and strike missions. (Picture source: V. Kuzmin)
A large batch of internal files belonging to Russia’s state defense conglomerate Rostec was leaked online by a hacker collective identifying itself as Black Mirror. The group claimed to have accessed more than 300 documents outlining pricing structures, delivery schedules, and export plans for several advanced Sukhoi fighter aircraft. Among the data were entries revealing that Ethiopia has signed a contract to acquire six Su-35 multirole fighter jets, making it one of three countries featured in the dataset along with Iran and Algeria. The leak also contained files that mention equipment deliveries from KRET, a Rostec subsidiary specializing in electronic warfare and avionics, which produces systems for export-configured Sukhoi aircraft.
According to the timeline presented in the leaked Rostec material, most of the aircraft contracts were signed either shortly before or soon after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with deliveries scheduled to continue through the latter half of this decade. The Ethiopian order for six Su-35s appears to be in an advanced phase, and the documents suggest that production activities or early deliveries could already have started. The same dataset identifies 48 Su-35 fighters for Iran, along with 12 Su-57 fifth-generation fighters and 14 Su-34 strike aircraft for Algeria. Rostec and the Ethiopian government have not issued public statements regarding the content of the leak, and there is no official confirmation of deliveries. Ethiopia’s acquisition of Su-35 fighters, if proven accurate, would represent Ethiopia’s most substantial fighter jet acquisition in recent years, as well as strengthening Ethiopia’s ability to protect national airspace, especially compared with the aging Su-27s and MiG-23s currently in service.
Production of the Su-35 began in 2007 at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant, now part of the Sukhoi Company under the United Aircraft Corporation. The aircraft entered Russian service in 2014, following an initial domestic order for 48 aircraft placed in 2009. Additional orders expanded the fleet to more than 120 units by 2025. The fighter has been deployed in several theaters, including Syria and Ukraine, and serves with multiple Russian regiments across the Far East and Western regions. Export contracts have included 24 aircraft for China delivered between 2016 and 2018, and ongoing deliveries to Algeria, which received its first Su-35 units in March 2025. Paradoxically, the Su-35’s operational record both demonstrates the aircraft’s effectiveness and explains its limited export appeal.
The Su-35, known under the NATO reporting name Flanker-E, is a twin-engine, single-seat, supermaneuverable fighter developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau as an advanced derivative of the Su-27. The aircraft is designed for both air superiority and precision strike operations. It is powered by two Saturn AL-41F1S afterburning turbofan engines, each generating up to 142 kilonewtons of thrust in emergency power mode, giving the aircraft limited supercruise capability at speeds above Mach 1.1. The Su-35 can reach a top speed of approximately 2,400 kilometers per hour, operate at altitudes up to 18,000 meters, and achieve a combat range of around 1,600 kilometers. The airframe’s design incorporates thrust-vectoring nozzles, composite materials, and structural modifications to reduce weight while maintaining strength. These features provide a high thrust-to-weight ratio exceeding 1.1 when flying with half fuel load, enabling sustained maneuvering at up to 9 g.
The aircraft’s avionics suite centers on the N035 Irbis-E passive electronically scanned array radar, an evolution of the N011M system, capable of detecting aerial targets at distances up to 400 kilometers and tracking thirty simultaneously while engaging eight. Additional onboard sensors include the OLS-35 infrared search and track system, used for target detection without radar emissions, and the L175M Khibiny-M electronic countermeasure system that provides protection against radar-guided threats. The Su-35’s cockpit features two multifunction liquid crystal displays measuring 23 by 30 centimeters, a head-up display, and integrated Hands On Throttle-And-Stick (HOTAS) controls. The aircraft’s radar cross-section has been reduced through the application of radar-absorbent materials on the engine inlets and front compressor stages, which lower detectability to an estimated 1 to 3 square meters.
In terms of armament, the Su-35 carries up to 8,000 kilograms of external ordnance across twelve hardpoints, comprising air-to-air, anti-ship, and air-to-surface weapons. It is compatible with R-77 and R-73 air-to-air missiles, Kh-29 and Kh-59 guided missiles, and Kh-31 anti-radiation and anti-ship variants. The aircraft can also deploy precision-guided bombs such as the KAB-500 and KAB-1500 series, providing versatility across a range of mission types. It is equipped with a 30 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1 cannon with 150 rounds for close combat engagements. The combination of long-range detection systems and diverse weapon integration allows the Su-35 to conduct interception, escort, and strike operations under various conditions. The fighter’s internal fuel capacity of 11,500 kilograms gives it an operational radius of 1,600 kilometers and an extended ferry range of 4,500 kilometers when fitted with external fuel tanks.
In practice, despite being among Russia’s most advanced multirole fighters, the Sukhoï Su-35 has not achieved widespread foreign sales. Priced at an estimated $85 to $100 million per unit, depending on configuration and support, the fighter’s high acquisition and maintenance expenses have deterred several potential buyers, and the availability of newer fifth-generation fighter jets such as the Su-57 has now further constrained its attractiveness abroad. Its deployment in Syria and Ukraine has shown that it can perform effectively in air patrol, interception, and precision-strike roles, yet it has not provided decisive advantages: in Ukraine, multiple Su-35s have been lost in combat and to friendly fire, revealing weaknesses in electronic identification and situational awareness systems. The aircraft’s large radar cross-section, limited low-observable features, and reliance on the older Irbis-E radar architecture have also reduced its survivability against modern integrated air defense systems, air-to-air missiles, and networked aircraft. Therefore, actual sales have remained confined to Russian close allies, such as China, Algeria, and now Ethiopia.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
