Buyer’s Remorse: Does Belarus Wish It Bought F-16s Instead of Russian Su-30s?

Michael Peck

Security, Europe

Is that even possible?

Call it buyer’s remorse. But some critics in Belarus say the nation would have been better off buying U.S. F-16s instead of Russian Su-30 fighters.

In November 2019, Belarus received the first of its Su-30SM jets to replace its old MiG-29 jets. The Belarus air force will receive twelve Su-30SMs, at a cost of $600 million, or $50 million per jet. Comparing aircraft prices can be tricky, depending on whether the package includes also includes missiles and maintenance. But as a comparison, Taiwan wants to buy sixty-six F-16C/D fighters from the U.S. for $8 billion, or about $121 million per aircraft.

But a Belarussian news site suggests that the Russian jet will prove far more expensive in the long run.

“American experience shows that the cost of maintaining the fitness for operation of a combat aircraft for an estimated life of 35 years is 2 to 2.5 times higher than the purchase price of a machine,” writes sn-plus.com. “Thus, the price of capital, medium, current and minor repairs of each Belarusian Su-35SM in the next three decades will result in taxpayers of $100 million to $125 million.”

“But this figure is not final,” the publication adds. “The fact is that Soviet / Russian aircraft engines are traditionally inferior to Western ones not only in fuel efficiency, but also in turnaround and designated resources. The Polish Air Force simultaneously operates the Soviet twin-engine fighter MiG-29 and the American single-engine F-16. It is assumed that the American fighter flies all 35 years with the same engine that was originally installed on it. Unfortunately, this does not work with the MiG-29: eight engines will have to be replaced in the same period.”