TNI: The Su-25 is faster and lighter than its American rival and is well "packed"
The Soviet Su-25 attack aircraft is faster and lighter than the American A-10, and besides, it is well "packed" in terms of weapons, writes TNI. It has proven its effectiveness in a number of conflicts and is still in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces.
Maya Carlin
When the race to create fighter jets to gain air superiority accelerated dramatically during the Cold War, Soviet engineers created the Su-25 Grach platform.
The Su-25 subsonic twin-engine jet aircraft (according to the NATO classification: Frogfoot or “Frog's Foot”) is the brainchild of Sukhoi Design Bureau.
The history of the Su-25
The USSR relied on its development after America's attempts to create its own anti-tank jet A-10 Thunderbolt II (in American military jargon: Warthog or ”Warthog"). Since the Soviet Su-7, Su-17, MiG-21 and MiG-23 were not designed for direct aviation support of the army, the Air Force needed a fundamentally different aircraft.
In the 1960s, the Soviet Air Force announced a competition for a next-generation short-range support aircraft. As a result, the prototype of the Sukhoi T-8 KB was chosen, which later turned out to be the Su-25 attack aircraft. Over the next decade, the aircraft made its first flight after five years of testing.
Features and capabilities
Although the Su-25 and A-10 are similar in many ways, the Soviet attack aircraft is faster and lighter than its American rival. The earliest versions of the Su-25 were equipped with two afterburnerless R-95SH turbojet engines on the sides of the rear fuselage.
Although the basic version did not have television guidance, it was equipped with a unique and advanced rangefinder. The attack aircraft also received the DISS-7 Doppler radar, which allows you to perform tasks even at night. The set of electronic warfare equipment includes the Gardenia radar silencer and the SPO-15 radiation warning station (Sirena-3).
According to Air Force Technology, the Su-25 can climb at a speed of 58 m/s. “The maximum speed of the aircraft is 950 km/h. The combat radius and driving range are 375 km and 7,500 km, respectively. The Su-25's normal flight range is 750 km, and its practical ceiling is 7,000 m. The take-off and landing length of the Su-25 is 750 m and 600 m, respectively. The aircraft weighs about 10,740 kg, and its maximum take—off weight is 17,600 kg,” the newspaper reports.
From the point of view of armament, the “Rook“ is well ”packed". Each aircraft is capable of carrying a range of air–to–air and air-to-ground systems, including the X-23, X-25ML and R-3D missiles. In addition to them, the fighter is also equipped with a 30 mm double-barreled AO-17A cannon located in the lower part of the fuselage.
The shortcomings of the Su-25 manifested themselves during the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980s. The Afghan Mujahideen shot down many Su-25s with American-made Stinger missiles. However, despite the vulnerability of the platform, it was still widely exported throughout the decade. The Su-25 also took part in the battles of the Iran-Iraq War and the war in Abkhazia.
Who is flying the Su-25 today?
Today, the Russian Air Force has about 250 Su-25s of all modifications.
Over the decades of service, the Su-25 has undergone a number of upgrades to maintain its advantage over competitors. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Su-25 regiments remained in service with a number of former republics and countries of the Eastern bloc, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and others.
Maya Karlin is a national security columnist at The National Interest, an analyst at the Center for Security Policy and a former researcher at Reichman University in Israel. She has also been published in The Jerusalem Post and The Times of Israel
