Four Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets, formerly flown by the Indian Air Force and returned to Russia in the early part of this decade, have be upgraded to Su-30KN standard and delivered to Angola in October this year.

The aircraft were part of a 12 fighter jet deal worth an estimated $1 billion and were upgraded to the 'KN' standard in Belarus, Offiziere.ch reported based on satellite imagery of Lubango civil-military airport in Huíla province.

The Su-30K aircraft are ex-Indian Air Force jets, which has ordered more than 200 Su-30MKIs in a number of batches. The early models delivered were basic aircraft without features like canards and thrust vector controls, and it is these 18 early model aircraft (ten Su-30MK and eight Su-30K fighters delivered between May 1997 and December 1999) that were returned to Russia and replaced with more advanced Su-30MKIs.

The Angolan Air Force currently flies around half a dozen Su-27s, out of 18 originally delivered. It also has other Sukhoi aircraft in its inventory, notably the Su-22 and Su-24.