India, Vietnam, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The messaging seemed to change slightly on the day of the presentation, with Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov telling reporters that “firstly, the aircraft will be oriented toward African countries, India, and Vietnam.” It’s unclear why Africa wasn’t more heavily emphasized in Rostec’s earlier marketing blitz over the course of July. Algeria and Egypt fit the profile of major arms importers who would potentially be interested in the Checkmate. Both have reportedly purchased Russian military aircraft in recent years, and are open to doing so again. The UAE has mulled over purchasing Russian fighters for years, first the Su-35 and later the Su-57—the Checkmate represents the Russian defense industry’s latest attempt to expand its presence in a Middle-Eastern market that is still dominated by American military hardware