Having taken delivery of six Mil Mi-26T2 helicopters in 2015-16, Algeria has firmed up an option for eight more, for delivery in 2017-18. The North African country was effectively the launch customer for the upgraded version of the heavy-lift machine. Russian arms vendor Rosoboronexport was the intermediary between the customer, the Russian Helicopters holding company, and its subsidiary Rostvertol, which produces the Mi-26. It is the world’s largest rotorcraft in serial production.