SU-25

The Su-25 (NATO reporting name: Frogfoot, informally known as Grach) is a single-seat armored subsonic attack aircraft designed to provide close air support during daylight and nighttime under conditions of visual target visibility, as well as to destroy targets with specified coordinates in case of flight weather. The targets can be ground and surface targets, as well as low-altitude, slow-moving aerial targets.

Work on the creation of the Su-25 ground attack aircraft at the Sukhoi Design Bureau began in 1968. The aircraft was intended to support units directly on the battlefield and was designed as a subsonic jet aircraft with high maneuverability and increased combat survivability. In the period 1970-1971, the aircraft project participated in a competition of ground attack aircraft projects together with projects from the Mikoyan, Yakovlev, and Ilyushin design bureaus, and won.

In September 1972, the preliminary design and the model of the aircraft were approved. The construction of the experimental aircraft T8-1 was completed in November 1974, and the first flight was performed on February 22, 1975. The tests lasted until October 1976, after which the aircraft was sent for improvement. State tests began in 1978.

It was decided to complete the first stage of testing in combat conditions of the regular army in Afghanistan. From April 16 to June 5, 1980, 100 test flights were conducted at the Shindand airfield, including 44 actual combat flights, in which the Su-25 demonstrated high combat qualities. State tests were completed in December 1980.

Production was carried out at an aircraft factory in Tbilisi, and operation of the aircraft began in 1981. During serial production, the aircraft was repeatedly improved.

First and foremost, the cockpit was improved, and protection of fuel tanks was ensured by filling them with polyurethane foam, among other theings. Such measures increased the aircraft's survivability in combat conditions and proved their effectiveness during their use in Afghanistan. At the same time, other versions of the Su-25 aircraft were developed to solve other tasks.

Currently, work is underway to modernize the Su-25 aircraft in service with the operating countries.

Over its more than twenty-five years of service, the Su-25 has participated in several armed conflicts. It was actively used by Soviet troops in the war in Afghanistan. The Iraqi Air Force used the Su-25 against Iran during the 1980-89 Iran-Iraq War. In 1993, the Russian army used Su-25s to help Abkhazian separatist militians against Georgians during the Abkhazian War. Eight years later, the Macedonian Air Force used Su-25s against Albanian separatists in the Macedonian conflict, and in 2008, Georgia and Russia used Su-25s in the war in South Ossetia.

The basic version of the Su-25 was produced at Factory 31 in Tbilisi. Between 1978 and 1989, 582 single-seat Su-25s were produced in Georgia, not including aircraft prepared under the Su-25K export program. This aircraft variant forms the basis of the Russian Air Force`s and Navy`s attack aircraft. The aircraft has experienced a number of accidents during operational duty, caused by unsuccessful weapon firings. As a result of these incidents, the use of its main armament, the 240-mm S-24 rockets, was banned. Therefore, its main armament became 500-kg general-purpose FAB-500 bombs.

Su-25K. The main Su-25 model was used as the basis for a commercial export variant known as the Su-25K (“Commercial”). This model was also built at Factory 31 in Tbilisi. These aircraft differ from the version for Soviet Air Forces in some minor details, mostly in their internal equipment. A total of 180 Su-25K aircraft were built between 1984 and 1989. The Su-25K was also referred to as the shipborne variant project.

Su-25M1 is a Ukrainian modernization of the Su-25. Modernized Ukrainian-made equipment was installed, including satellite navigation, a new Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), a modernized radio station, and a modern sight.

Su-25UB (“Training-Combat”) is a two-seater training modification created in 1977. It is designed for pilot training and practice. The maximum takeoff weight is 18,500 kg, and it can perform combat missions in full. Approximately 350 units were produced. The first prototype called the “T-8UB-1” was completed in July 1985. Its first flight was made from the Ulan-Ude airfield on August 12 of the same year. It was designed for training and evaluating the skills of regular pilots, as well as for training pilot cadets of Soviet Air Forces flight schools. The effectiveness of the Su-25UB differs insignificantly from the single-seater modification. The two-seater version's navigation equipment, weapons and sighting devices, as well as fire control systems, make it suitable for both flight training and combat training tasks. By the end of 1986, a total of 25 Su-25UBs had been prodused in Ulan-Ude, although by that time state tests had not yet been completed, and thus the aircraft had not yet been adopted by the Soviet Air Force.

Su-25UBK. From 1986 to 1989, in parallel with the construction of the main Su-25UB modification for combat training, the Ulan-Ude plant produced the so-called “commercial” Su-25UBK, intended for export to countries that had purchased the Su-25K, with corresponding design changes.

The Su-25UTG (Training-Combat with Hook) is a variant of the Su-25UB designed for training pilots in takeoff and landing on land with an artificial deck, as well as on inclined ski jumps. The first one flew in September 1988, and about ten were produced. About half of them remained in Russian service after 1991, and are used by Russia from the only aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. This small number of aircraft was insufficient to meet the needs of the professional training of the Russian air carrier, so several Su-25UBs were converted to Su-25UTG, these aircraft are also designated Su-25UBP (Training-Combat Deck-Based) the adjective “deck-based” indicating that these aircraft perform a naval function. Currently, ten of these aircraft serve in the Russian naval aviation as part of the 279th naval aviation regiment.

The Su-25BM (Target Tug) is a variant for target towing, the development of which was initiated in Ukraine in 1986. The prototype, named “T-8BM1”, successfully flew for the first time on March 22, 1990 in Tbilisi, and the aircraft was put into production after completing the testing phase. Su-25BM turret was designed to provide target towing for the training of ground forces and naval personnel for “ground-air” or naval anti-aircraft missile systems. It is designed for engines from the R-195 and engines equipped with long-range navigation systems RSDN-10, an analogue of the western LORAN system.

The Su-25T (“Tank”) is a specialized anti-tank version that was quite successful during the Chechen War. The developers returned to the one-seater scheme, placing additional avionics in the place of the second pilot. The aircraft's avionics were changed, in particular, an automatic indication system was installed on the windshield. The variant is equipped with the “Shkval” television observation and aiming system with a laser rangefinder and target designator in the nosecone (the same system used on the Ka-50 combat helicopter), it can carry “Vikhr” missiles with laser guidance in an 8-tube launcher (the Ka-50 carries missiles in a 6-tube launcher). The effectiveness of this weapon system on a jet aircraft is controversial, as it is not a “fire-and-forget” weapon, and while illuminating a target with a laser beam is dangerous for a hovering helicopter, the Su-25T flies to its target until it launches the “Vikhr,” and can eventually enter the range of close-range air defense systems. The capabilities of the “Shkval” night vision device are limited. For night operations, the container with the low-radiation “Mercury” TV system can be carried under the fuselage (which only has a five-fold increase compared to the 23-fold increase in the “Shkval”). It can also be equipped with "Fantasmagoria," a container of passive radar sensors for suppressing air defense. The Su-25T can also use the KAB-500Kr TV-guided bomb and heavy tactical air-to-ground missiles, such as the Kh-29T with TV guidance. The second generation of the Su-25T, the Su-25TM (Su-39), was developed with improved navigation and attack systems and became more survivable. While retaining the “Shkval” integrated into the Su-25T, it can carry “Spis” (Ukrainian for “Spear”) missiles placed in a container under the fuselage, which are used to destroy air targets (using RVV-AE/R-77 missiles) as well as ships (using anti-ship missiles such as the Kh-31 and Kh-35). So far, the Russian Air Force has received only a small number of each variant. At the same time, improvements to the onboard equipment systems designed for these aircraft have been used in the Su-25SM, an intermediate upgrade of the model range produced for the Russian Air Force. The changes have increased the survivability and combat power of the Su-25.

The Su-25KM (Commercial Modernized), nicknamed "Scorpion," is an upgraded version of the Su-25. It was announced in early 2001 in Tbilisi, in partnership with Elbit (Israel). The prototype of the aircraft made its first flight on April 18, 2001, in Tbilisi with Georgian Air Force markings. These planes use the standard Su-25 airframe, with advanceded avionics, including a glass cockpit, digital map generator, helmet-mounted display, and computerized weapon systems. The improvements also include increased accuracy of the navigation system, compatible with NATO standards. Several planes were released to the Georgian Air Force under the pseudonym “Mimino” (Sparrowhawk).

The Su-28 (also Su-25UT - training) is a light aircraft project developed in 1981 to replace the Czechoslovak Aero L-39 Albatros. The only capable prototype was built in 1987 based on the Su-25UB as a private initiative of Sukhoi Design Bureau. Unlike the basic Su-25UB, the aircraft lacks combat equipment: weapons, armor, and engines. In the early 1990s, due to financial problems, the project was frozen and then permanently closed. It was not produced in series.

The Su-25R (“Reconnaissance”) is a tactical reconnaissance variant. The project was developed in 1978 but was never built.

The Su-25U3 (“3-seat trainer”), also known as the “Ukrainian Trio,” was a project whose development was suspended in 1991 due to a lack of funding.

The Su-25U (“Training”) is a training version of the Su-25, produced in Georgia from 1996 to 1998. Three planes were built.

The Su-39 is an anti-tank attack aircraft, further development of the Su-25T. It is equipped with the “Spis-25” (Kopyo-25) radar station in an external container.

The Su-25SM3 modification was developed in 2013-2014. The Su-25SM3 variant differs significantly from previous modifications of the Su-25SM both in terms of armanent and on-board equipment.

The cockpit is equipped with a multifunctional display. The aircraft is equipped with the “Vitebsk-25” electronic warfare system, the “Salt-25” thermal-imaging laser rangefinder, and a significantly expanded range of aviation weapons systems. Unlike previous modifications, the Su-25SM3 is capable of destroying small moving and stationary ground targets without visual visibility in complex weather conditions, as well as air targets.

The Su-25SM3 and Su-25UBM2 modifications are capable of using laser-guided missiles such as the Kh-58USH, Kh-25ML, and Kh-29L, television-guided missiles such as the Kh-29T/TD/TE, as well as guided bombs such as the KAB-500S (satellite-guided) and KAB-500KR (correlation video camera guided). Air targets can be hit by the R-73 missile.

The empty weight of the aircraft is 9750 kg, the normal bomb load is 1000 kg, and the maximum is 4000 kg. The maximum flight speed with a normal load at an altitude of 200 m is 950 km/h, and the maximum operating altitude is 7000 m. The practical range of flight with cruising speed (650 km/h) and normal combat load is 510 km.

The combat use of the Su-25 began during the war in Afghanistan. The first combat sorties took place in late April 1980. After the collapse of the USSR, Su-25 aircraft were used in the war in Abkhazia, the Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 1992-1994, in clashes on the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan in 1993-1994 during the civil war in Afghanistan. Russian forces used the Su-25 during the war in Chechnya. Su-25s were also added to the arsenal of the Russian contingent in Syria. Ukrainian military used Su-25s during the war in Eastern Ukraine and the full-scale war in 2022. The highest-ranking retired pilot, 63-year-old Major General Kanamat Botashev, was also shot down on a Russian Su-25. On May 22, 2022, in the Luhansk region, the military of the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade destroyed his plane with a shot from the Igla MANPADS. There are reasons to believe that the retired general was a mercenary of the Wagner PMC or another similar Russian formation.