Outside View: Algeria MiG row -- Part 1

MOSCOW, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Algeria will return 15 MiG-29SMT -- Fulcrum -- fighters purchased from the MiG Corp. in 2006-2007 to Russia. The deal on the return was signed shortly before Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika visited the Russian Federation.

The ensuing scandal was picked up by the Russian press.

This is an unpleasant incident not only because Algeria has thereby expressed its dissatisfaction over the quality of Russian exports. This brings into doubt the entire military-technical cooperation between the two countries with a price tag of $7 billion. This is the sum of the contracts signed by Russian representatives during President Vladimir Putin's visit to Algeria.

This is the first demonstrative return during Russia's entire military-technical cooperation with foreign countries. What is the reason behind it?

Although military-technical cooperation is a sensitive subject, and not everything is known for sure, experts see many reasons behind this decision. One of them is the struggle between different political groups and clans in Algeria.

Arms supplies always involve middlemen who receive impressive shares for their services. Those who get nothing are naturally displeased about this. Intrigues are always part of these deals, but when those who sign the contracts possess real power, scandals never acquire global dimensions.

Competition is another reason. Paris was going to sell its own Rafale fighters to Algeria, but the Algerians opted for the MiGs instead of the French planes.

The terms of the contract for the MiG fighters were very good. First, the price of the Russian fighters was much lower and the characteristics were very much the same. Second, by buying the fighters Algeria was paying off its debt to the former Soviet Union and its successor Russia. Moreover, as part of the payment, Russia offered to take back 36 old MiGs that had been bought by Algeria from Ukraine and Belarus, and flown by the Algerian air force. Who would refuse such incentives?

It is hard to believe that the MiG-29SMTs -- one-seat and two-seat combat and training versions -- were of poor quality. Off the record, Russian arms exporters maintain that before being sent to the south Mediterranean coast, the fighters were approved by Algerian experts. They also checked them upon arrival in the country, and even started flying them.

How can they now complain of defects, used spare parts or rusted units? Why didn't they see them before? But the time for rhetorical questions has gone. Russia has signed the deal on the return of the 15 MiG-29SMT Fulcrum fighters and therefore Moscow is obliged to take them back.

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(Nikita Petrov is an expert on the Russian defense industry. This article is reprinted by permission of RIA Novosti. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.)

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(United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)