The newest best military aircraft of the Russian Air Force and the world photos, pictures, videos about the value of a fighter aircraft as a combat weapon capable of ensuring “superiority in the air” was recognized by the military circles of all states by the spring of 1916. This required the creation of a special combat aircraft superior to all others in speed, maneuverability, altitude and the use of offensive small arms. In November 1915, Nieuport II Webe biplanes arrived at the front. This was the first aircraft built in France that was intended for air combat.

The most modern domestic military aircraft in Russia and the world owe their appearance to the popularization and development of aviation in Russia, which was facilitated by the flights of Russian pilots M. Efimov, N. Popov, G. Alekhnovich, A. Shiukov, B. Rossiysky, S. Utochkin. The first domestic cars of designers J. Gakkel, I. Sikorsky, D. Grigorovich, V. Slesarev, I. Steglau began to appear. In 1913, the Russian Knight heavy aircraft made its first flight. But one cannot help but recall the first creator of the aircraft in the world - Captain 1st Rank Alexander Fedorovich Mozhaisky.

Soviet military aircraft of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War sought to hit enemy troops, their communications and other targets in the rear with air strikes, which led to the creation of bomber aircraft capable of carrying a large bomb load over considerable distances. The variety of combat missions to bomb enemy forces in the tactical and operational depth of the fronts led to the understanding of the fact that their implementation must be commensurate with the tactical and technical capabilities of a particular aircraft. Therefore, the design teams had to resolve the issue of specialization of bomber aircraft, which led to the emergence of several classes of these machines.

Types and classification, latest models of military aircraft in Russia and the world. It was obvious that it would take time to create a specialized fighter aircraft, so the first step in this direction was an attempt to arm existing aircraft with small offensive weapons. Mobile machine gun mounts, which began to be equipped with aircraft, required excessive efforts from pilots, since controlling the machine in maneuverable combat and simultaneously firing from unstable weapons reduced the effectiveness of shooting. The use of a two-seater aircraft as a fighter, where one of the crew members served as a gunner, also created certain problems, because the increase in weight and drag of the machine led to a decrease in its flight qualities.

What types of planes are there? In our years, aviation has made a big qualitative leap, expressed in a significant increase in flight speed. This was facilitated by progress in the field of aerodynamics, the creation of new, more powerful engines, structural materials, and electronic equipment. computerization of calculation methods, etc. Supersonic speeds have become the main flight modes of fighter aircraft. However, the race for speed also had its negative sides - the takeoff and landing characteristics and maneuverability of the aircraft sharply deteriorated. During these years, the level of aircraft construction reached such a level that it became possible to begin creating aircraft with variable sweep wings.

For Russian combat aircraft, in order to further increase the flight speeds of jet fighters exceeding the speed of sound, it was necessary to increase their power supply, increase the specific characteristics of turbojet engines, and also improve the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft. For this purpose, engines with an axial compressor were developed, which had smaller frontal dimensions, higher efficiency and better weight characteristics. To significantly increase thrust, and therefore flight speed, afterburners were introduced into the engine design. Improving the aerodynamic shapes of aircraft consisted of using wings and tail surfaces with large sweep angles (in the transition to thin delta wings), as well as supersonic air intakes.

A Su-25 attack aircraft crashed on Tuesday in the Novogrudok region of Belarus, the pilot was killed, the BELTA agency reports, citing the Republic's Ministry of Defense.

Su-25 "Rook" (according to NATO codification: Frogfoot) is an armored subsonic attack aircraft, designed to provide close air support to troops during combat operations day and night with visual visibility of the target, as well as for round-the-clock destruction of objects with known coordinates in any meteorological conditions.

Work on the creation of the Su-25 attack aircraft began at the Sukhoi Design Bureau in 1968.

The construction of the prototype T8-1 aircraft was completed in November 1974, the first flight was carried out on February 22, 1975. Factory tests of two prototype Su-25 aircraft continued until October 1976, after which the aircraft were sent for modification.

In 1978, state tests of the aircraft began, which continued until 1980.

Officially adopted by government decree of March 31, 1987. By this time, the aircraft had already been in serial production for 8 years, of which 6 years had been in service and participated in combat operations in Afghanistan.

Flight characteristics of the Su-25

Dimensions:

length - 15.53 m

height - 4.8 m

wingspan - 14.36 m

wing area - 30.1 sq. m

Weight:

empty - 9315 kg

takeoff normal - 14600 kg

take-off maximum - 17533 kg

normal - 1400 kg

maximum - 4400 kg

Speed:

maximum at the ground - 970 km/h

cruising - 750 km/h

landing - 210 km/h

Maximum flight range:

near the ground - 750 km

at an altitude of 1250 km

Operating range - 300 km

Service ceiling - 7000 m

Crew - 1 person

Fuel capacity - 3000 kg

The aircraft has several modifications:

Su-25 is the first production modification of the attack aircraft; Su-25UB - two-seat combat training aircraft; Su-25UT, Su-28 - two-seat training version; Su-25UBK - export version of the Su-25UB aircraft; Su-25UTG - a two-seater aircraft for testing landing techniques using ground and deck arresting devices; Su-25BM - target towing aircraft; Su-25K - export version of the Su-25; Su-25T - anti-tank attack aircraft with new electronic equipment and weapons; Su-25TK - export version of the Su-25T; Su-25TM, Su-39 - all-weather anti-tank attack aircraft.

The armament of a serial army attack aircraft consists of means of destroying ground and air targets and a weapon control system (WCS), which ensures reliable destruction in various ways under conditions of visual visibility.

The aircraft has 10 hardpoints located under the wing, on eight of them, designed for loading 500 kg, it carries various weapons of the following types: bombarded; guided missile; unguided rocket; cannon (artillery), and the other two - air-to-air guided missiles (UR) for close combat. In total, the aircraft can be equipped with 32 types of weapons, including high-precision weapons.
The Su-25 is designed to be operated by a minimally trained flight and ground crew. The time it takes to prepare an aircraft for departure is short.

The AMK-8 special airmobile ground support complex provides autonomous basing of the attack aircraft at poorly equipped unpaved airfields.

Serial production of the Su-25 was completed in 1992 and, according to Western experts, amounted to approximately 700 aircraft of all modifications.
Single-seat attack aircraft (Su-25, Su-25BM and Su-25T/TM) were produced at an aircraft plant in Tbilisi, two-seat (Su-25UB and Su-25UTG) - in Ulan-Ude.
Currently, various variants of the Su-25 are in service with the air forces of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Uzbekistan, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Angola, Afghanistan, North Korea and Iraq, etc.

By 2020, the troops should begin to receive a new attack aircraft with dual controls based on the Su-25. It will be designed for two pilots: a navigator and an operator.

The promising vehicle should replace the Su-25SM, which, in turn, was the result of a deep modernization of the Su-25.
The Su-25SM is distinguished from the standard vehicle by a significantly wider range of weapons. The modernization affected the communication systems of radar equipment and the sighting and navigation system.

More than 30 Su-25 attack aircraft have been modernized in Russian Air Force units until 2020.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

The Su-25 model aircraft is a Soviet and then Russian-made attack aircraft. This armored vehicle was created specifically to provide support to our military forces on the ground. This vehicle can conduct active combat operations regardless of the time of day. In addition, it has the ability to conduct targeted fire at objects at given coordinates. This device has a nickname in the ranks of the Russian Air Force - “Rook”.

Brief chronology of the creation of the Su-25 attack aircraft

The Sukhoi Design Bureau has been designing the Su-25 aircraft since the 70s of the last century. This project was launched due to the fact that the decision of 1956 that it was necessary to create fighter-bombers was recognized as erroneous. When creating the Su-25 aircraft, O.S. was appointed chief designer. Samoilovich.

The designers carried out a lot of research and experiments, which made it possible to select the optimal layout of the new aircraft. Based on the results of all research and development, more than 600 samples were presented. The working prototype of the Su-25 was first flown in early 1975. After design tests and modifications to the systems, the aircraft was presented to the state commission, which gave the go-ahead for production and confirmed the high flight characteristics of the device.

Since 1980, this vehicle was adopted by the USSR army. A year later, 12 of these vehicles carried out military operations in Afghanistan. The Su-25 type aircraft is a relevant and in-demand combat unit, since the Russian Ministry of Defense continues to order these devices. This vehicle will still serve in our country’s Air Force until 2020.

Design features of the Su-25

This device is created according to the high-wing design, which is equipped with two engines, while the machine is controlled by one pilot. The swept wing is equipped with reliable mechanization, which includes flaps, brake flaps, maneuverable slats and ailerons. The aircraft has excellent qualities both in flight and in combat conditions. This was achieved due to the fact that the designers initially knew the specific purpose of this machine. In combat conditions, the aircraft has the ability to fly at very low altitudes, which allows it to carry out high-quality work on targets and at the same time be invulnerable to the enemy.

This aircraft has a large number of titanium alloys at the core of its design, which reduces the overall weight while providing strength and excellent armor protection. The cockpit is all-welded, which increases the safety of the pilot during shelling. To increase the survivability of the vehicle, the designers came up with a system of tanks that will not explode even when hit by bullets and shrapnel.

In addition, all aircraft systems are designed very well and reliably, since they are completely duplicated, which allows you to continue effective flight and combat if one of the equipment fails. An example of survivability is even the control rod, which has a diameter of 4 cm, which means that in the event of a direct hit, a 12 mm caliber bullet will not be able to kill it.

The Su-25 attack aircraft is equipped with a power plant, which consists of two engines, which are located on the sides of the fuselage and protected by armor, which in turn covers the fuel tanks. In addition to passive protection, the aircraft has a whole range of active techniques that work to ensure the safety of the aircraft. Active protection includes an electronic countermeasures system, dipole reflectors, and a system of heat traps. All these complexes and systems make it possible to raise the survivability of the vehicle to a qualitatively higher level during combat operations.

The first Su-25 type vehicles had a power plant, which was represented by two R-25 type turbojet engines. This power plant made it possible to achieve a thrust of 4100 kgf. But soon these engines were replaced with newer and more powerful ones. The new class engine was labeled R-195 and gave the aircraft a thrust of 4500 kgf. The new engines not only provided more power, but were also less visible in the infrared spectrum, which made it possible to better hide it from enemy radars.

As for the chassis, it consists of three supports, which are equipped with pneumatic vibration dampers, which contain low pressure. Due to the high-quality landing gear and powerful power plant, the aircraft can take off and land from unpaved airfields.

Initially, the Su-25 was created as a cheap but reliable aircraft. As practice has shown, in the Afghan war it is not enough to rely only on the visual work of pilots, since they cannot see and notice everything. Even intelligence data does not provide the maximum effect for the operation. That is why they began to install more modern navigation equipment on the Su-25 type aircraft, which made it possible to use the aircraft more efficiently and at the same time inflict more damage on enemy troops.

As for the aircraft’s armament, it is quite powerful, since the list of weapons of the device includes a double 30-mm cannon, which is loaded with 250 rounds. But the most powerful weapons are mounted on the wing consoles. The total mass of weapons can be 4 tons. On the wings you can place a variety of bombs and missiles that are most suitable for completing the assigned tasks.

Characteristics of the Su-25 aircraft

Armament of the Su-25:

An article about the history of creation, combat use and modifications of a unique Soviet combat aircraft - the Su-25 Grach attack aircraft.

The history of the creation of the SU-25 Grach attack aircraft

After the party and army leadership of the USSR made a strong-willed decision in 1956 to disband the attack aviation units in the Air Force, there was no aircraft left capable of doing what the famous Il-2 “flying tanks” did during the war - providing fire support for offensive actions of infantry and heavy weapons. technology.

All subsequent attempts to adapt fighters and bombers for this purpose were unsuccessful. The experience of the wars in Korea, Vietnam and Egypt showed that a new battlefield aircraft is vital.

The initiators of the creation of the new aircraft were teachers of the Air Force Academy.

At the end of the 60s of the 20th century, military aviation design bureaus began developing preliminary designs for a specialized subsonic fighter with a high degree of protection against air and ground missile attacks from enemy air defenses.

All this time, the Sukhoi Design Bureau did not stop working on the main technical parameters of the combat aircraft project. The work was carried out without attracting the attention of the big bosses. It is quite natural that the competition was won by the Su brand aircraft.

First of all, it was necessary to answer the question: how the new aircraft would behave in close combat, with an immediate danger of being attacked by powerful enemy weapons.

Hundreds of mock-ups of various systems and parts of the aircraft were tested during the design work. Their topics were unusually broad. Testing of the prototype aircraft, designated T8, began in 1975.

this year, testing of a prototype aircraft under the T8 markings began

It took the designers five years to fine-tune the vehicle and select weapons. We can say that the plane was extremely lucky. Instead of a high commission, state acceptance was made by the war. The SU-25 attack aircraft brilliantly demonstrated its combat qualities during various military conflicts.

Performance characteristics of the SU-25 (performance characteristics)

Design

Since the attack aircraft must carry a significant bomb load in flight, a high-wing design was chosen. The wings are trapezoidal, to increase the maneuverability of the vehicle, they are equipped with mechanization (flaps, ailerons, slats, brake flaps). The main aircraft control systems are duplicated.

To ensure survivability in the event of direct hits, the aircraft is equipped with armor protection for its main systems. The cockpit is covered with titanium-based armor. Its thickness reaches 30 mm. The armor is capable of protecting the pilot from being hit by projectiles with a caliber of up to 12 mm. The top of the cabin is covered with armored glass.

The cockpit is covered with titanium-based armor.

The plane has one keel. During landing, a braking parachute is used to effectively reduce speed. For emergency escape, a K-36L ejection seat is installed in the cabin. With its help, the pilot can leave the plane both in the air at maximum speed and during takeoff/landing. The Su-25 chassis is tricycle, reinforced.

To protect against a missile attack, the Talisman BKO is installed on the vehicle. In the latest modifications (SM-SM3), navigation is carried out via satellite. To determine the distance to an object, the Klen-PS laser complex is used.

Engines

The Su-25 power plant is equipped with two R-95 turbojet engines without afterburners. Early versions of the aircraft were equipped with the R-95Sh (thrust - 4100 kgf, fuel consumption - 1.28 kg/kgf*hour). The motor nozzle is not adjustable. The air intake has an oblique shape.

To supply the power plant with kerosene, the aircraft has 4 main tanks (2 inside the fuselage, 2 in the wings), and 2 outboard tanks. The maximum amount of fuel on board is 5340 liters.

At the end of the eighties of the last century, the Su-25, equipped with R-195 engines with a thrust of 4300 kgf, went into production. The turbojet engine continues to operate after being hit by a projectile with a caliber of up to 23 mm. Improvements were required due to frequent massive shelling using ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns.

In addition, the engine was made less susceptible to hits from missiles with IR guidance heads.

It is critically important that the designers managed to achieve the ability to fly and land with one engine running.

Combat radius of the "Rook"

The maximum flight range of the Su-25 can be judged from the data in the table below. It takes into account the features of flight without additional fuel and with external tanks, at altitude and near the ground.

The speed of the SU-25 during takeoff is 60 m/s. When ferrying, the flight range is 1950 km. With a normal ammunition load at a speed of 555 km/h, the attack aircraft is capable of making a turn with a depth (radius) of 680 m.

The attack aircraft is equipped with a GSh-30-2 rapid-fire cannon with 250 pieces of ammunition. 10 external suspension units can accommodate a wide variety of missile and bomb weapons:

• Rockets(managed and unmanaged);
• Bombs(adjustable and free fall);
• Containers for projectiles(GSh-23 or GSh-30).

Missiles are launched from BDZ-25 pylons, and aerial bombs are dropped using APU-60 launchers.

Modifications

Over 35 years of operation, several different modifications of the aircraft were produced. Let us briefly look at the photos and characteristics of the most famous:

	The two-seat version of the Su-25 is produced for training cadets of flight schools and retraining pilots of Air Force combat units. The vehicle has minimal differences from the serial Su-25: The cabin is a two-seater cabin, for which the design of the airframe and canopy in the middle and front parts of the fuselage has been redesigned. The amount of pumped fuel has been reduced. The alarm system, air conditioning system and basic controls have been duplicated. Two K-36L ejection seats are installed. UBM differs from UB in the installation of a new PNK "Bars". The combat radius of the aircraft is 300 km. Number of hardpoints – 10. Combat load – 4.4 tons. Sold for export in the UBK version
	A training aircraft to replace the Czechoslovak-made L-39 (1987). All combat systems have been removed from the airframe. Ballast (Su-28M) is mounted in the nose of the aircraft. Crew - 2 people. Not serially produced
	A modification created for practicing ship takeoffs/landings. Equipped with aerofinisher
	An improved anti-tank version of the Su-25. An improved radio-electronic complex (I-251 Shkval) is installed in the gargrot instead of the co-pilot's seat. The pilot's cabin is pressurized. The range of ammunition used has been changed. Exported
	All-weather variant of the attack aircraft. Navigation equipment has been improved. The performance characteristics of the SU-25 attack aircraft and the aircraft's armament correspond to the serial Su-25
	The most advanced version of the production aircraft. The GLONASS system is installed. The pilot can act if visibility from the attack aircraft cockpit is close to zero. The on-board radio-electronic equipment has been updated. The SVP-25-25 PNK has been equipped (increases the level of bombing accuracy)

In addition to the modifications described above, the Su-25M, Su-25UBM, and Su-25BM aircraft were produced in small series.

In service

Official data indicate that 472 units of various modifications of the Su-25 are in service with the armies of 22 countries. These are the countries of the former USSR (7 countries), Eastern Europe (1), Africa (10), Asia (3) and South America (1). As of the end of 2016, 54 aircraft were removed from service in seven European countries.

As part of the Russian Air Force, the Su-25 is flown by pilots of 7 attack and fighter air groups and formations:

• 37, 266, 279, 368 and 960 air regiments of the Russian Air Force;
• 3rd Command Air Group;
• Lipetsk Pulp and Paper Plant.

The number of Su-25s in combat formations of the Russian Air Force is about 200 units.

Accidents and disasters on the Su-25

Pilots of Su-25 attack aircraft of various modifications often became involved in emergency situations. Here are some of the most famous cases that occurred in the Russian Air Force:

• 06/09/2000 The pilot of the 368th ShAP of the Russian Air Force, Captain A. Morozov, died during ejection, diverting the falling plane from residential buildings in the village of Bashanta (Stavropol Territory). The possible cause of the accident is engine failure.
• 06/14/2001 Near Itum-Kali (Chechen Republic), due to bad weather conditions, a pair of Su-25s collided with mountains at an altitude of more than two kilometers. Both pilots were killed - Lieutenant Colonel Yu. Yakimenko and Captain A. Podsidkov.
• March 20, 2008 In the Primorsky Territory, during an exercise, a Su-25 187 GShAP of the Russian Air Force crashed due to a hit from a missile fired from a follower aircraft. The pilot, Lieutenant Colonel S. Yakovenko, died.
• September 23, 2013 While performing a training flight in the Krasnodar region, the Su-25SM lost control. The pilot died during the ejection.
• 02/29/2016 The Su-25 crashed in a deserted area of ​​the Stavropol Territory while performing a training flight. The pilot, Major A. Kurikalov, died during the ejection.
• 02/03/2018 A missile shot down a Su-25 of the Russian Aerospace Forces contingent in Syria. The pilot, Major R. Filipov, ejected and died while firing back in a battle with terrorists of the Jabhat al-Nusra group. For courage and heroism he was awarded the title of Hero of Russia.

Combat use of the Su-25

Over the thirty years of the Su-25’s life, the attack aircraft was used in combat: during the Afghan conflict, the first and second war in Chechnya. Currently, pilots are crushing Basmachi in Syria. The plane arrived in Afghanistan “on wheels” - from state tests.

Due to the excellent flight characteristics of the SU-25, its external resemblance to a bird and exceptional survivability, the front-line attack aircraft began to be called “Rook”.

Due to the excellent flight characteristics of the SU-25, the attack aircraft began to be called “Rook”.

For several years, he terrified the Mujahideen, covering convoys with fuel and food - Soviet aid to the people of Afghanistan. The balance of power changed when the Stingers appeared in the hands of the Mujahideen. It was necessary to improve the armor protection to increase the survivability of the vehicle.

It was estimated that a downed Su-25 suffered up to 90 damage before the aircraft lost the ability to fly. It happened that more than a hundred hits from various shells could not destroy the plane and crew.

Improved versions of the Su-25 have made a significant contribution to the results of combat operations in many armed conflicts: in the Persian Gulf, Nagorno-Karabakh, Tajikistan, Chechnya, Ethiopia, South Ossetia, Congo, and many others.

The biography of the aircraft has been updated with new evidence that there is no point in developing the Su-25. It is necessary to change it, introducing a more advanced and well-armed attack aircraft into service. In Syria, as noted above, one Su-25 was shot down. Shot down by a presumably American or Soviet-made missile.

This showed that it is impossible to fly closer than 10 km from the firing point of a MANPADS. This is the so-called “danger zone” for the Su-25, since most of its suspended missile weapons are already outdated. The Vitebsk electronic warfare equipment installed on the SM3 modification does not provide a 100% guarantee that the plane will not be shot down.

• The landing gear is fully adapted for takeoff and landing on any type of runway. It was assumed that a full-fledged military attack aircraft should not depend on the presence of an airfield with a concrete runway.
• The attack aircraft can be refueled with gasoline and diesel fuel in the absence of aviation kerosene.
• At one of the design stages, the designers expressed the idea of ​​equipping the fuselage with a hanging container for transporting additional equipment and... aircraft equipment.
• During its combat use, the Su-25 took part in 18 wars and armed conflicts on three continents.

18 wars: the Su-25 took part in so many wars during combat use

The high accident rate of outdated Su-25 attack aircraft and Su-24 fighter-bombers is forcing the Air Force leadership to replace them with more modern Su-34s. The comparison is clearly not in favor of the Su-25.

The already mentioned modification of the Su-39 can last longer than others in service, as it has proven itself well in the fight against unmanned aerial vehicles. Its distinctive feature is the ability to move at minimum speed without stalling, and to attack the UAV at any convenient moment. All the latest modernizations (SM, SM2, SM3) only briefly extend the service life of the legendary “battlefield aircraft” - the Su-25 attack aircraft.

Which every person who is interested in military equipment to one degree or another knows. These include the “Grach” - the SU-25 attack aircraft. The technical characteristics of this vehicle are so good that it is not only still actively used in armed conflicts around the world, but is also constantly being modernized.

General information

As already mentioned, this is a stormtrooper. Flight speed is subsonic; has good reservations. The vehicle is designed to cover advancing troops or independent actions as part of aviation units, can strike enemy concentrations and armored vehicles, and flies at any time of the day and in almost all weather conditions. What else can be cited for the SU-25, this aircraft is so versatile that an entire book could be dedicated to them! However, we’ll try to make do with a fairly short article.

The first flight took place at the end of February 1975. The machine has been in intensive use since 1981; aircraft were involved in all armed conflicts on the territory of the former USSR, and not only. The latest episode of use was the war in Ossetia in 2008. Today it is known that attack aircraft of this series will be in service with our army at least until 2020, but - subject to the availability of modern modifications and the State order to continue their production - this period is clearly being shifted indefinitely. At the moment, Russia has about 200 SU-25. The technical characteristics of vehicles on combat duty are maintained through their constant modernization to modern realities.

Prerequisites for the occurrence

Around the mid-60s, the military priorities of the USSR and the USA underwent dramatic changes. At that time, it became finally clear that the idea, cherished until then, of crushing the enemy through nuclear weapons was a senseless suicide on a planetary scale. Everyone agreed that the focus should be on the use of conventional weapons. Therefore, the military of both superpowers again paid close attention to the development of front-line aviation as the main strike force in all conflicts of recent years.

In those years, the USSR was armed with the Su-7B and the Yak-28. These machines were very good, but they were completely unsuitable for working directly on the battlefield. They had too high a flight speed, and therefore were physically unable to maneuver and hit small targets. In addition, the complete lack of armor put an end to their attack qualities: when attacking ground targets, any machine gun could pose a mortal danger to these aircraft. It was then that the prerequisites for the appearance of the SU-25 were laid. The technical characteristics of the new vehicle were to be somewhat similar to those of the legendary Il-2: armor, maneuverability, low flight speed and armament.

Brief information about the development

Thus, the troops urgently needed a specialized aircraft. The Sukhoi Design Bureau soon provided the T-8 project, which was developed by engineers on their own initiative. In addition to it, in 1969 the Il-102 was present at the competition, but the future “Rook” differed favorably from it in its small dimensions, armor and maneuverability. That is why the “kitchen” development was given the green light, and the new attack aircraft passed all tests with honor. This was largely due to the fact that the designers applied the principle of maximum survivability of a combat vehicle in all possible conditions when creating it.

Particular attention was paid to the ability of the attack aircraft to resist the action of MANPADS, which at that time began to appear en masse in the troops of a potential enemy. It was the American “Stingers” that became a real headache for our helicopter pilots in Afghanistan, and therefore all the measures taken were not superfluous.

"Tank" version

The SU-25T aircraft was created somewhat differently. The history and characteristics of its weapons are directly related to the development of armored vehicles of that period. NATO made the final bet on heavy and well-protected tanks, and therefore required a special “subspecies” of attack aircraft that could carry out attack at even lower speeds, ensuring better target destruction.

This modification was adopted for service in 1993. The differences from the standard “Rook” are small, but they exist. General unification with the “parent” aircraft is 85%. The main difference is more advanced sighting equipment and the Vikhr anti-tank missile system. Unfortunately, during the collapse of the Union, out of 12 vehicles built, only 8 ended up in Russia. There was no further production or modernization of these aircraft. It’s sad, but the SU-25T, whose flight characteristics made it possible to confidently hit all Western tanks, no longer flies and is permanently parked in

Main design features

The design was carried out using a well-proven normal aerodynamic design with a high location of the main wing. Unlike fighters, due to this solution, the attack aircraft receives the maximum degree of maneuverability at subsonic speeds.

For a long time, experts struggled with the optimal aerodynamic configuration of the vehicle, but the efforts spent did not go in vain: there are high coefficients in all types of combat maneuvers, excellent flight aerodynamics, and excellent maneuverability when approaching ground targets. Due to the special aerodynamics of the SU-25, the technical characteristics of which are discussed in the article, it has the ability to launch an attack at critical angles, while maintaining high flight safety. In addition, the aircraft can dive at speeds of up to 700 km/h, while tilting up to 30 degrees.

All this, as well as an excellent armor system, more than once allowed pilots to return to base on the engine alone, with the fuselage completely pierced and torn apart by explosions of MANPADS missiles and bullets from heavy machine guns.

Machine security

All the flight performance characteristics of the SU-25 attack aircraft would cost little if not for the degree of protection of the vehicle. And this level is high. More than 7% of the Grach's take-off weight consists of armor elements and other protective systems. The weight of this stuff is more than a ton! All vital flight systems are not only maximally protected, but also duplicated. But the developers from the Sukhoi Design Bureau paid the main attention to protecting the fuel system and the pilot’s cabin.

Its entire capsule is made of titanium alloy ABVT-20. The thickness of the armor ranges (in different places) from 10 to 24 mm. Even the windshield is a monolithic block TSK-137 65 mm thick, which provides the pilot with protection from bullets, including very large caliber ones. The thickness of the pilot's armored back is 10 mm. The head is protected by a 6mm plate. Not bad, right? But that’s not all.

In all directions, the pilot is reliably protected from fire from weapons with a caliber of up to 12.7 mm, inclusive, and the frontal projection prevents him from being hit by guns with a caliber of up to 30 mm, inclusive. In short, the SU-25 aircraft, whose technical characteristics are beyond praise, is capable of standing up not only for itself, but also for the life of the pilot who flies it.

About evacuation possibilities

In emergency situations, the K-36L ejection seat is responsible for rescuing the pilot. It can be used in all flight modes, at any speed and weather conditions. Before ejection, the cockpit canopy is reset using squibs. The seat is ejected manually; to do this, the pilot needs to simultaneously pull two handles.

Stormtrooper weapons

Of course, the SU-25 “Grach”, the tactical and technical characteristics of which are discussed on the pages of this article, simply cannot be poorly armed. It is equipped with aircraft cannons; guided and unguided bombs, NURSES, and air-to-air guided missiles can be mounted on the external sling. In total, the designers provided for the possibility of carrying at least 32 types of various weapons. The main standard equipment is the 30-mm GSh-30-2 cannon.

Note that this is all a description of the SU-25K aircraft of the 8th production series, which is now in service with the Russian Air Force. There are other modifications (like the SU-25T), but these vehicles are so few that they do not play any special role. However, let’s return to revealing the characteristics of the “Rook”.

Other weapons are mounted, installed depending on the characteristics of the tasks that the attack aircraft pilot will have to solve during the battle. Under each wing there are five mounting points for various types of weapons. Guided missiles are mounted on launchers of the APU-60 model; for other bombs, missiles and NURS, pylons of the BDZ-25 type are used. The maximum weight of weapons that an attack aircraft can carry is 4,400 kg.

Basic performance characteristics

To give you a better idea of ​​what the SU-25 attack aircraft is capable of, it is better to list the technical characteristics of the latter:

• The total wingspan is 14.36 m.
• The total length of the aircraft is 15.36 m.
• Hull height - 4.80 m.
• The total wing area is 33.70 m.
• The empty weight of the aircraft is 9500 kg.
• Standard take-off weight is 14600 kg.
• Maximum take-off weight - 17600 kg.
• Engine type - 2xTRD R-195 (on the first aircraft - R95Sh).
• The maximum ground speed is 975 km/h.
• Maximum flight range (with drop tanks) - 1850 km.
• The radius of application at maximum altitude is 1250 km.
• The flight limit over the ground in combat conditions is 750 km.
• The flight ceiling is 10 km.
• Effective combat altitude (max.) - 5 km.
• The maximum overload in combat mode is 6.5 G.
• Crew - one pilot.

Afghanistan

In March 1980, a batch of vehicles, despite fierce protests from engineers who did not have time to bring them to the required “condition,” was sent to Afghanistan. The pilots did not have adequate experience of warfare in the mountains; the airfield itself was located significantly above sea level. That is why, during the first weeks, the flight teams constantly improved their tactics and identified “childhood diseases” of the aircraft, which were especially pronounced in the difficult conditions of the mountains.

Already in the second week, new equipment was used in the Farakh province. And it immediately became clear that the USSR received excellent attack aircraft. Despite the fact that engineers did not initially recommend overloading the Rooks with ammunition weighing more than four tons, such a need arose very soon. Unlike the Su-17, which could take a maximum of 1.5 tons of bombs, the new attack aircraft lifted eight heavy five-hundred-kilogram shells into the sky, which made it possible to forever seal the bunkers and caves in which the Mujahideen were hiding. Even then, the military began to ardently advocate for the speedy adoption of the vehicle into service.

Fighting MANPADS

Thanks to the efforts of the Americans and the Chinese, the Afghans quickly acquired modern MANPADS. To combat them, suspended ASO-2 systems were used, each cassette of which had 32 IR traps. Eight such complexes could be mounted on each aircraft. This allowed the pilot to carry out up to nine attack missions on each combat mission with minimal risk.