Algeria has told the Russia it wanted to send back 15 fighter jets because they were sub-standard, the Telegraph newspaper reported on Wednesday. Algerian president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika met his Russian peer Vladimir Putin in Moscow Tuesday to discuss the issue, it was reported. Algeria said it wanted to return the first 15 MiG-29 fighter jets supplied in 2007 and refused to take the remaining aircraft under a $1.3 billion contract, Russian news reports said. The 2006 deal envisaged the delivery of 34 MiG-29s in 2007-2008.
Algerian military chiefs have allegedly complained that the aircraft, the first of a consignment of 36 MiG29 jets, were second-hand rather than new and proved faulty during initial testing. Russian officials dismissed the Algerian claims.
