History of creation
Work on the creation of the Su-25 attack aircraft began at the Sukhoi Design Bureau in the mid-70s on an initiative basis, when it became clear that the decision made in 1956 to abolish attack aircraft and transfer its functions to fighter-bombers was erroneous. The chief designer in the group of creators of the Su-25 was the former commander of the T-34 tank, one of the most brilliant aircraft designers of the 20th century, Oleg Sergeevich Samoilovich (1926-1999). During the development of the attack aircraft, research and development work was carried out on 40 topics, manufactured and about 600 samples and mock-ups were tested. In February 1975, the prototype of the attack aircraft, which had the working designation T-8, was lifted into the air, and in 1980 the attack aircraft was adopted by the USSR Air Force under the designation Su-25. In 1981, a Su-25 squadron of 12 vehicles already took part in combat operations in Afghanistan.
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 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.
See also the article Sturmovik Il-2 and its combat use
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.
The famous attack aircraft Su-25 "Rook"
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.
See also the article Modern military aircraft of Russia and their types
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.
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.
Su-25 engines
The engines are placed on both sides of the fuselage in special engine nacelles at the junction of the wing and the fuselage. The engines have a non-adjustable nozzle and air intake. The service life between repairs is 500 hours. Early versions of the Su-25 were equipped with two afterburning single-circuit R-95Sh turbojet engines with a thrust of 4100 kgf each. The engines had an average specific fuel consumption of 1.28 kg/kgf/hour and autonomous electric start. Later, more advanced R-195s with thrust increased to 4300 kgf began to be installed on attack aircraft. The R-195 engines were secret for a long time, in particular, in the T-8-15 aircraft presented at the air show in France in 1989, the R-195 engines were replaced with the R-95Sh. The design was strengthened compared to the R-13 prototype. The engine can withstand a direct hit from a 23mm projectile and remains operational in the face of numerous less serious combat damage. Infrared radiation has also been reduced, making the aircraft less vulnerable to missiles with IR homing heads.
The R-95 and R-195 engines were recognized as the most reliable in their class. Particular attention is paid to the survivability of the design and shielding of the systems so that one hit from a weapon cannot destroy both engines. If one engine fails, the plane can continue flying on the other. The main fuel for engines is aviation kerosene. The engines are provided with fuel from 4 built-in fuel tanks (2 in the fuselage, one in each of the wings) with a total volume of up to 3660 liters; it is also possible to suspend up to 2 external fuel tanks (PTB-800) with a capacity of 840 liters each. Thus, the total volume of fuel tanks can be up to 5300 liters.
Security, life support and rescue system
The Su-25 is generally a highly protected aircraft; combat survivability systems account for 7.2% of the normal take-off weight or 1050 kg. The stormtrooper's vital systems are duplicated and shielded by less important ones. Particular attention is paid to the protection of critical components and elements - the cockpit and fuel system. The pilot's cabin is welded from ABVT-20 aircraft titanium armor. The thickness of armor plates ranges from 10 to 24 mm. The front glazing provides bulletproof protection and is a glass block 55 mm thick. At the rear, the pilot is protected by a 6 mm thick steel armored back. The pilot is almost completely protected from fire from any gun with a caliber of up to 12.7 mm, and in the most dangerous directions - with a caliber of up to 30 mm. The rescue of the pilot in the event of a critical aircraft failure is provided by the K-36L ejection seat, which ensures the rescue of the pilot in all flight modes, speeds and altitudes. The canopy is reset before ejection. The ejection is controlled manually using control handles, which must be pulled with both hands.
Multi-role transport aircraft T-101 GRACH
Now that our aircraft factories have almost completely curtailed the production of heavy aircraft, many companies, design bureaus and just offices have appeared in Russia that design small commercial aircraft. A small aircraft, of course, can be built easier and faster than an airliner, and thereby at least somehow speed up the reproduction of the aircraft fleet in the country. However, not all creators of new machines seriously think about the feasibility and economic efficiency of their winged children and how difficult it will be to persuade sponsors, investors, and manufacturers: no one wants to take risks these days. Despite all these difficulties, the Roks-Aero enterprise began designing the T-101 Grach aircraft. One of the creators of the new machine tells. “The development of the T-101 began in 1992. The aircraft was built at the Moscow Aviation Production Association (MAPO) at the end of 1993. Flight tests of the T-101 aircraft (first stage) were carried out at the Lukhovitsky aircraft plant under the leadership of deputy. chief designer for flight tests of the Rox-Aero enterprise S. Smirnov. Rox-Aero employees G. Kolokolnikov, A. Grishechkin, V. Parfentyev, V. Moskovsky, V. Chernozhukov made a great contribution to the creation of the aircraft. And from MAPO - V. Puzanov, O. Chukantsev, A. Dmitriev and others. On December 7, 1994, the “Rook” took off for the first time, piloted by honored test pilot Viktor Zabolotsky.
When developing the T-101 project, we tried to combine the simplicity and reliability of design solutions, comfortable conditions for the crew and passengers, the relatively low cost of the aircraft and the ability to operate it from small unpaved sites. The multi-purpose purpose of the device and the possibility of its rapid re-equipment were also taken into account. The T-101 can be successfully used as an ambulance, rescue aircraft, patrol aircraft, for airdropping people and special cargo, and as a training aircraft for civil aviation schools.” T-101 Grach is an all-metal single-engine monoplane with an upper strut wing; normal single-fin tail and three-post landing gear with a tail support. The TVD-10B engine with a three-bladed propeller (D=2.8 m) is located in the bow on a motor mount under removable hoods, providing good access to it and its components. The motor frame is a truss structure, welded from pipes. The engine is attached to it through shock absorbing bushings and washers. It is started from a battery or from an airfield power source. Behind the fire partition, on top, is the pilot's cabin, and below is the instrument compartment, which contains the main radio communications and electronic equipment.
The cockpit is designed for two crew members and is equipped with seats adjustable in height and longitudinal axis. On the right and left sides there are individual doors for crew members, which provide emergency release mechanisms in case of emergency leaving the aircraft. Large windshields and door windows provide good all-round visibility. Behind the cabin there is a spacious cargo-passenger compartment.
The wing is straight, braced, mechanized with a four-section flap and ailerons, of which the left one is equipped with a trimmer with an electromechanical drive. The wing consists of two consoles. Each is hinged to two horizontal upper fuselage assemblies. The struts are covered with fairings. The wing consoles are a high-tech, two-spar design with inserted fuel tanks located between them in the root part of the wing. The ribs are of a constant contour span, reinforced along the sides and at the attachment points of the flap, strut, aileron and tip sections. The horizontal tail consists of a stabilizer and an elevator, which is made of two sections connected to each other by a pipe, and has axial and balance compensation. Both sections are equipped with trimmers with electromechanical drive.
The landing gear (three-wheel design with a tail wheel) was chosen taking into account its advantages during takeoff and landing with low soil strength. The braking system is hydraulic.
The elevator and rudder are controlled by cable, and the ailerons are combined. The release and retraction of the flaps and the deflection of the trim tabs are remote via electric drives. The engines and propellers are controlled by cable from a single remote control located between the pilots.
There are three types of anti-icing system: air-thermal for supplying warm air from the engine to the windshields, oil-thermal for heating the engine air intakes, and electrometric for heating the tip of the propeller blades and air pressure receivers. The possibility of supplying warm air to the leading edges of the wing, stabilizer and fin is being explored.
Fire-fighting equipment has an alarm system with fire sensors in the engine compartment, a fire extinguishing system with refrigerant cylinders located in the engine compartment, triggered by squibs. There is an air conditioning system in the cockpit and passenger compartment.
The Grach is equipped with instrumentation and radio-electronic equipment with a radar in a container, which provides high-quality and safe, mainly autonomous, solution to flight and navigation tasks day and night, in simple and difficult weather conditions, over the water surface and unmarked terrain. The basis of flight navigation equipment is a satellite navigation channel, an automatic radio compass, a radio altimeter, a heading and vertical system, and a weather radar. The aircraft is equipped with modern VHF, UHF, HF radio stations, providing stable and highly reliable communications over the entire range of altitudes and flight ranges. Test pilot Viktor Vasilyevich Zabolotsky said after the first flight: “I won’t get out of the cockpit. When I retire, I’ll fly on this plane!” As a result of Zabolotsky’s two dozen flights on the Grach, all the characteristics laid down by the designers were confirmed. .
“The T-101,” said the test pilot, “is the successor to the well-known working aircraft An-2. But on the basis of incomparably more advanced technologies and equipment. The aircraft in the air confirmed its design data in all main parameters - flight speeds, range, alignment, fuel consumption, and the ability to land with strong crosswinds. The aircraft is reliably held on the brakes at any engine operating mode. We control well on takeoff. Take-off speed is 80-90 km/h. Stable in flight. Controllability is normal, forces on the steering wheel can be easily removed using trimmers. The time to climb to 3000 m is 10.5 minutes. Flight speed at nominal 0.9 mode is 240 km/h. The extension and retraction of the flaps are accompanied by: a slight rebalancing of the aircraft. Depending on the speed and flight mode, the slats come into operation. Excellent wing mechanization significantly improves the flight performance of the T-101. During landing, alignment begins at 8 m. Landing speed when touching three points is about 70 km/h. During the run, the plane maintains a straight line well. Using propeller reverse while cruising significantly reduces the braking distance. The VMG engine and units worked flawlessly...
In fact, the test pilot is the godfather of the new aircraft. Therefore, his judgments are especially valuable to us. Viktor Vasilyevich noted: “I believe that the “Rook” will become a mass-produced aircraft. It will be especially useful for the North and East, in remote regions where there are no roads. This is guaranteed by the possibility of landing in small areas and the absence of the need to heat the engine even in severe frosts. The aerodynamic quality of the T-101 is quite high: with a wing area 2/5 smaller than that of the An-2, its lift-off speed is 20 km/h less. The main advantage of the “Rook” is the exceptional efficiency of the engine. The cost of kerosene for TVD-10B is two times cheaper than aviation gasoline, and in the North it is four times cheaper! The Mi-8, for example, consumes 1000 liters of fuel per hour, and for the T-101 this amount is enough for 4 hours. The car developers are pleased, of course, to hear this. But the advantages of our brainchild do not end there. The production cost of the Rook is 2-3 times lower than many new aircraft of this class, and this is perhaps our main trump card in competition. By the way, the aircraft is certified according to our and American airworthiness standards FAR-23 and can find its rightful place in Russian exports, primarily to countries in Africa and Asia.
The T-101 was conceived as a civil aircraft. But unexpectedly for us, representatives of the Airborne Forces and border troops became seriously interested in him. The military says: “This is our aviation jeep.” However, the famous ophthalmologist Svyatoslav Fedorov also said his word: “This will be our flying eye clinic.” Based on the basic T-101 aircraft, other models are being developed at MAPO. The T-105 is made for flight schools, the main difference from the T-101 is the installation of a nose strut instead of a tail wheel. Options for aircraft with float and ski landing gear are also being considered. In addition, in the future it is planned to develop a T-108 with two 650 hp engines. With. on the wing and amphibious aircraft T-130 “Frigate” with two 760 hp engines. With. But about them, if they are destined to fly into the air, that’s a special conversation.
Modifications: T-101V
option on floats, a working design of the aircraft has been developed. T-101P
fire-fighting on floats, water is taken in planing mode into floats up to 1500-2000 kg. T-101S
military purpose (S - serial), can be used in difficult weather conditions day and night, equipped with an AP-93 autopilot, a combined PNP-72-14 air data navigation system with a digital indication of speed and altitude, and a Gnome satellite navigation system; aircraft armament: 2-4 units with heading from a Mi-8 helicopter, 7.62 and 12.7 mm machine guns in the cargo (landing) compartment, outboard cannon and machine gun containers. T-101L version on skis. T-101СХ Rostock
agricultural version with equipment for agricultural work from the An-2 aircraft, the aircraft is equipped with automatic slats, an AV-24AI reversible propeller is installed. T-102
modification with a nose landing gear, planned in the summer of 1995 for construction in December of the same year, but was not built. T-103 variant with trapezoidal wing and tail. T-104
modification with a pair of two Pratt&Whitney engines with a power of 700 hp each; the work was carried out jointly with the Saloy company, to which some drawings of the aircraft were sent in 1995. It was planned to assemble a prototype aircraft with a five-bladed propeller at the end of 1995, but the aircraft was not built. T-105 variant with nose landing gear. T-130 Frigate amphibious aircraft T-202DP (DUPEK)
modification with a power plant of two engines and a drive for one propeller. T-203 Bee agricultural version
Performance characteristics: Modification of T-101 Wing span, m 18.20 Aircraft length, m 15.06 Aircraft height, m 4.86 Wing area, m2 43.63 Weight, kg empty aircraft 3330 maximum take-off 5250 fuel 960 Engine type 1 TVD TVD-10B Power, hp 1 x 960 Maximum speed, km/h 300 Cruising speed, km/h 250 Practical range, km 3000 C max. commercial load, km 700 Service ceiling, m 4000 Crew, persons 1 - 2 Payload: up to 15 passengers or 1400 kg of cargo
Source: Airwar.ru
Armament of the Su-25
The Su-25 is equipped with a powerful set of weapons - air cannons, air bombs of various calibers and purposes, guided and unguided air-to-ground missiles, guided air-to-air missiles. In total, the attack aircraft can be equipped with 32 types of weapons. The aircraft has a built-in 2-barrel 30-mm aircraft cannon GSh-30-2, the rest of the weapons are placed on the aircraft depending on the type of mission being solved. The aircraft has 10 suspension points for additional weapons and cargo (5 under each wing). For suspension of air-to-surface weapons, BDZ-25 pylons are used, and for suspension of air-to-air missiles, APU-60 aircraft launchers are used.
Artillery weapons
The attack aircraft is armed with a built-in VPU-17A cannon mount with a double-barreled 30-mm GSh-30-2 aircraft cannon (GRAU index 9A623), made according to the Gast design. The air cannon is designed to destroy armored vehicles, openly located enemy personnel, as well as air targets at medium and close distances. The gun is relatively compact for guns of this rate of fire and caliber: the barrel length is 1.5 m, and its weight without ammunition is 105 kg. The GSh-30-2 is fixed motionless relative to the airframe, guidance is carried out by maneuvering the aircraft. The gun is powered by a belt feed. Firing control is by electric ignition, using 27 volt direct current. The total ammunition capacity is 250 shells, and the air cannon can use up the ammunition in one continuous burst. The barrel allows you to fire up to 4000 shots without deteriorating performance. The initial projectile speed is 900 m/s. The rate of fire of the air cannon is 3000 rounds per minute. The gun can fire the following types of ammunition: - OFZ-30 high-explosive incendiary projectile, - OFZT-30 high-explosive incendiary tracer projectile, - BR-30 armor-piercing explosive projectile, - ME-30 multi-element projectile. It is also possible to install additional artillery weapons on the attack aircraft in the form of SPPU-22-1 suspended cannon containers, each of which is equipped with a double-barreled 23-mm GSh-23 cannon, made according to the Gast design. The ammunition capacity of each cannon container is 260 shells. Up to 4 such containers can be installed on an aircraft.
Unguided bombs
In the basic version, the Su-25 can use the following unguided bombs: FAB-100 one or four bombs (using MBD2-67U) on a pylon FAB-250 one bomb on a pylon FAB-500 one bomb on a pylon SAB-100 BetAB-500 BetAB- 500ShP RBK-250 RRBC-500 KMGU-2 ZB-500 ODAB-500P
Unguided missile weapons The Su-25 is capable of using NAR units with the following missiles with different warheads: S-5 S-8 S-13 NAR, one on a sling: S-24B S-25
Precision bombs and missiles
To use air-to-surface guided weapons, the Su-25 (as well as the Su-17M4) is equipped with a Klen-PS laser rangefinder-target designator (LD). After locking on a target and launching a missile, the pilot must illuminate the target until it is hit. Due to the location of the LD in the nose of the aircraft, the viewing angle is directed to the front hemisphere, and not to the bottom, therefore, in the basic modification, the Su-25 does not use guided bombs. Guided missiles: S-25L X-25ML X-29L
Air-to-air weapons
For self-defense and combat against helicopters, the attack aircraft is equipped with two short-range R-60 guided missiles with infrared homing heads. The missiles are attached to APU-60 aircraft launchers located under the wing. Since the R-60 missiles are out of production and their storage life is coming to an end, when modernizing the Su-25 aircraft of the Russian Air Force into the Su-25SM and Su-25SM (3) versions, the pylons intended for the APU-60 launchers are dismantled. The modernized Su-25SM attack aircraft use the R-73 missile, the launcher of which is suspended on the outermost BDZ-25 holders.
Navigation and auxiliary equipment
— BKO “Talisman” is an airborne defense system for individual protection of combat aircraft from guided missile weapons.
"Rooks" prescribed height
After the death of the Su-25 attack aircraft in Idlib, the Russian Ministry of Defense made a decision: in the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR), aircraft of this type (in the army they are called “Rooks”) must fly at an altitude of over 5 thousand m. This is guaranteed to avoid being hit by fire. man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS). As the Russian Ministry of Defense previously stated, according to preliminary information, the Su-25 became a victim of MANPADS. The attack aircraft that died on February 3 was the first combat aircraft to be shot down during the Syrian campaign by ground fire. According to experts, in the SAR the operational ceiling of the Su-25 has always been above 5 thousand meters. But in recent days, in the Idlib region, the Rooks have begun to fly lower.
The Ministry of Defense confirmed the death of the pilot of the downed Su-25 in Syria
History of the tragedy
The Su-25SM attack aircraft (RF-95486, tail number 06 “blue”) was shot down on February 3 in the southern part of Idlib province near the village of Maasaran.
As the Ministry of Defense officially reported, “while flying over the Idlib de-escalation zone, a Russian Su-25 plane crashed. The pilot managed to report the ejection in an area controlled by the militants Jabhat al-Nusra (an organization banned in Russia - Izvestia). The pilot died while fighting terrorists.” Also in the military department, Fr.
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Su-25 attack aircraft at the Khmeimim airbase in the Syrian province of Latakia
Photo: RIA Novosti/Ramil Sitdikov
Video footage of the last battle between a Su-25 pilot and terrorists in the Syrian Arab Republic has been published
Jabhat al-Nusra took responsibility for the destruction of the Rook (changed its name to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham). However, according to other sources, the small group Jaysh al-Nasr, which is organizationally part of the Free Syrian Army and received weapons from the United States and its allies in 2015–2016, could have been involved in the incident. It was representatives of Jaysh al-Nasr who distributed the video of the missile hitting the plane and footage from the site of its crash.
According to Izvestia, the downed Su-25SM was part of the 37th mixed aviation regiment (SAP) of the 27th mixed air division. Previously, this vehicle belonged to the 960th Attack Aviation Regiment. But when the 37th Sap was formed, one squadron of Su-25SM from the 960th was transferred to its composition.
What did you do?
As two sources in the defense department, as well as one representative of the aircraft manufacturing industry, told Izvestia, a working group has been created that will clarify all the details of the death of the attack aircraft. In particular, it is being studied why the pilot did not have time to use heat traps against MANPADS. These are special pyrotechnic charges. When burning, they release a lot of heat, “distracting” the homing heads of MANPADS.
It has already been decided that in Syria the Su-25 will perform all flights at altitudes above 5 thousand meters. At this distance from the ground, the aircraft become invulnerable to MANPADS missiles. This is also guaranteed to protect against fire from anti-aircraft rapid-fire cannons and bullets from conventional small arms.
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Su-25 attack aircraft fires at ground targets
Photo: TASS/Sergey Bobylev
“Height is the most reliable way to protect against MANPADS,” military historian Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia. — Missiles of such a complex are quite small in size. They have a small fuel supply, which means that the higher the target and the greater its speed, the less effective the missile is. Currently, only the Russian Verba MANPADS is capable of intercepting targets at an altitude of about 6 thousand meters. Other systems, such as Igla, the American Stinger and the French Mistral, have a ceiling of no more than 5 km.
SAR special forces entered Idlib province after an attack on a Russian Su-25
As military expert Vladislav Shurygin noted, the Russian Aerospace Forces actively used the Su-25 from the very beginning of the operation in Syria. But the machines always operated at altitudes above 5 thousand meters.
“The Su-25 has become a kind of “truck with bombs” for Russian aviation in Syria,” the expert noted. “They have a very short preparation time for departure and a large amount of ammunition. "Rooks" bombarded the militants' positions with a hail of precision bomb attacks. Back in the late 2000s, these aircraft were modernized, and their sighting system makes it possible to place a bomb within a radius of one meter from the target from a height of 5-6 thousand meters. Until recently, Su-25s operated at an altitude of 5-6 km. But in early February, militants distributed a video of a Su-25 coming under anti-aircraft artillery fire in the Idlib region. It is clearly visible that the shells are exploding next to the attack aircraft. This means that the car was traveling at an altitude of no more than 2-2.5 km.
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Preparation of the Russian Su-25 attack aircraft at the Khmeimim airfield before departure on a combat mission
Photo: TASS/Alexander Elistratov
The Federation Council allowed MANPADS to reach militants in Syria from Ukraine
A video showing an anti-aircraft artillery shelling a Su-25 was published by Edlib Media Center on February 1. Then Jabhat al-Nusra took responsibility for the shooting of the Russian plane. The militants claimed that they seriously damaged the attack aircraft. But this information was not confirmed.
“There is no doubt that the deceased RF-95486 also went much lower than 5 thousand meters. This is very clearly visible in the video published by the militants,” noted military historian Dmitry Boltenkov. — The main problem of the Su-25SM is the lack of a reliable means of detecting the launch of MANPADS missiles. The pilot can detect their launch only visually, and then use “heat traps.” The newest “SuperGrach” Su-25SM3 is designed to solve this problem. But he is just entering the army.
It cannot be said that MANPADS only recently appeared among militants in Syria. Since 2012, six SAR Air Force aircraft (Su-22, Su-24, MiG-21 and L-39), as well as at least five army helicopters, have become their victims. Got it from MANPADS and American coalition aircraft. Thus, in 2014, IS militants (banned in Russia) shot down a Jordanian F-16.
Jabhat al-Nusra claims responsibility for the downing of a Su-25 in Syria
What's happening in Idlib
In December-January, the government army and its allies, after a series of provocations by militants, carried out a major offensive in the southeast of Idlib. The actions of ground troops were actively supported by Syrian aviation. The SAR Air Force planes worked both on targets directly on the front line and on the rear of the terrorists in order to deprive them of supplies and reinforcements. Air support is one of the key factors for the success of the regular army, since aviation knocks out enemy armored vehicles even on the approaches to the front and bandit formations fail to organize a stable defense.
In recent weeks, the militants have retreated and tried to counterattack, but have depleted their reserves and are now on the defensive. On the eve of the incident with the Russian plane, government troops approached a distance of about 14 km to the city of Saraqeb, which is located on the strategic M-5 highway (Hama-Aleppo) and is considered the main stronghold of the opposition. It was in this area that a Russian Su-25 was shot down.
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Su-25 attack aircraft fires heat traps
Photo: RIA Novosti/Vitaly Ankov
Idlib was captured by anti-government forces in 2020. It remains the last major armed opposition enclave in northern Syria. Several tens of thousands of militants from various Islamist groups have accumulated there, including radicals from the Islamic State and the former Jabhat al-Nusra. The latter is the dominant force in the enclave. However, some of the gangs that have taken refuge there are controlled by Turkey and use the Free Syrian Army (FSA) brand.
The Russian Armed Forces attacked militants after an attack on a Russian Su-25 in Syria
In December 2020, at negotiations in Astana, Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed to create a de-escalation zone in Idlib and stop attacks on moderate opposition groups. However, this restriction did not apply to groups designated as terrorist groups that continued their armed struggle.
During 2020, Idlib repeatedly became the base for powerful attacks on the north of Hama province. In response, the Syrians launched an offensive at the end of the year to encircle and destroy the most aggressive units in southeast Idlib. This has caused concern in Turkey. In January, Ankara even called on Moscow and Tehran to stop the offensive on Idlib, citing the threat of an influx of refugees into Turkey and a new humanitarian crisis. Now, MANPADS have appeared in Idlib, which were previously “seen” in the hands of pro-Turkish FSA militants advancing on Kurdish-controlled Afrin.
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Su-25SM3 attack aircraft at the Gissar airfield before flights as part of joint anti-terrorism exercises of the Collective Rapid Reaction Forces (CRRF) of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Tajikistan
Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexey Kudenko
The Su-25 all-weather turbojet attack aircraft was developed in the early 1970s. The first test flight was carried out on February 22, 1975. During testing in Afghanistan, he received the nickname “Rook”. The crew is one person. The aircraft is equipped with air cannons, bombs of various calibers, air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles.
The SuperGrach, the Su-25SM3, is currently being tested. This machine is equipped with a powerful self-defense system. It detects the launch of MANPADS missiles, jams and independently destroys air defense positions.
Su-25 modifications
Su-25 - Combat single-seat attack aircraft.
Su-25K - Commercial - export version of the Su-25. Between 1984 and 1989, 180 aircraft were built. The Su-25K was also called the ship version project
Su-25T - An anti-tank attack aircraft created in 1984 on the basis of the Su-25UB. The central section was strengthened, radio-electronic equipment was placed in the gargrot in place of the second cabin, the nose was changed, the I-251 Shkval sighting system was added, an ILS was installed, the ability to use modern high-precision ammunition was added, the cabin was sealed.
Su-25UB - Combat training two-seat attack aircraft.
Su-25SM - Upgraded combat single-seat attack aircraft. Avionics have been updated, HUD and MFD have been added.
Su-25SM3 - Upgraded combat single-seat attack aircraft. Added by the GLONASS satellite navigation system (GPS) with the ability to program the end point with an accuracy of ten meters, it allows the pilot to operate autonomously in “zero” visibility. Equipped with the SVP-24-25 subsystem (aka “Hephaestus”). SVP-24 was created for the Su-24M, but adapted for the Tu-22M3 (SVP-24-22) and Su-25 (SVP-24-25)). SVP-24 allows you to increase the accuracy of unguided aircraft weapons to the level of guided weapons.
Su-25KM - Georgian attack aircraft modernized by Israel. Avionics have been updated and the ability to use NATO ammunition has been added.
Su-28 - Training aircraft. Not mass produced.
Su-25UTG - Training aircraft for learning to take off and land on the deck of aircraft carriers.
Su-39 - Anti-tank attack aircraft, further development of the Su-25T. Equipped with a “Spear-25” radar station in a hanging container.
Su-25UBM - A modernized two-seat attack aircraft, created as a combat training version of the Su-25SM and Su-39. The aircraft implements all the developments of previous modifications. The basis for the new aircraft was the two-seat Su-25UB. The radio-electronic equipment was replenished with the Bars-2 avionics complex, and it was also planned to supplement the Spear radar (there is no radar on the prototype). It is assumed that the aircraft can be used both as a training aircraft for single-seat modifications and as an independent combat unit. Moreover, in the latter case, the Su-25UBM will be able to conduct reconnaissance, guidance and coordination of the actions of its single-seat counterparts, turning into an air command post. The new aircraft made its first flight on December 6, 2008 in Kubinka, near Moscow. Currently, the first stage of the aircraft survey has been completed in 2011. For the first time, the aircraft will be equipped with a powerful RTR and electronic warfare system, as well as a BKO complex
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.
Combat use of the Su-25
Afghan War (1979-1989) In the spring of 1980, four Su-25s underwent combat evaluation in Afghanistan, showing complete superiority over their competitor the Yak-38. Since mid-1981, one Su-25 squadron took part in the Afghan war, which was expanded to an air regiment in 1984. The combat operations revealed the high survivability and maneuverability of the attack aircraft. Its relatively low flight speed allowed it to deliver very accurate strikes, something fighter-bombers lacked. In Afghanistan, the Su-25 received its nickname “Rook”, becoming the most famous aircraft of this war. After the Mujahideen acquired the Stinger MANPADS in 1987, the attack aircraft underwent modernization in order to increase survivability. One of the Rook pilots in Afghanistan was Alexander Rutskoi, the future vice-president of the Russian Federation. During his participation in hostilities, he was shot down twice - in April 1986 by fire from the ground and in August 1988 by a Pakistani F-16 fighter. The Su-25 showed high survivability in Afghanistan. On average, for every Su-25 shot down there was 80-90 combat damage; cases were described when aircraft returned to base with 150 holes. A number of sources talk about the loss of 23 Su-25 attack aircraft and 8 pilots in Afghanistan, while it is noted that there was not a single case of the loss of an aircraft due to the explosion of fuel tanks or the death of a pilot (although there is an assumption that the plane of Senior Lieutenant Shumikhin was lost as a result of the pilot being hit by fire from the ground). Researcher Viktor Markovsky considers these data incomplete and, citing documents from the 40th Army Air Force and the TurkVO Air Force Command Center, reports the loss of 33 attack aircraft and 12 pilots, indicating that in this assessment he did not take into account several aircraft written off due to combat and non-combat damage. In the books of Markovsky and Ildar Bedretdinov, as well as in some other sources, one can find a description of the circumstances of the loss of at least 34 attack aircraft in Afghanistan (including 24 in the air and 10 on the ground) and the names of 12 dead Su-25 pilots.
Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) Attack aircraft entered service with the Iraqi Air Force in the second half of the 1980s. According to some sources, they were used very intensively in the war; according to others, they carried out literally several combat missions. Nothing is known about the effectiveness of their use and possible losses.
Gulf War (1991) Iraqi Su-25s did not fly combat missions during this war, but suffered combat losses. Seven planes flew to Iran, where they were included in the local air force, two more were shot down by American F-15 fighters during a flight attempt, and a number were destroyed by international coalition aircraft on the ground. In total, Iraq lost 31.
Civil war in Tajikistan (1992-1997) During the conflict, Su-25 air forces of Russia and Uzbekistan operated.
Abkhazian War (1992-1993) Georgia used its Su-25s in the war. Several planes were shot down by Abkhazian air defense. There is at least one known case of the Russian Air Force Su-25 participating in the war.
Karabakh War (1991-1994) The Su-25 became the first combat aircraft to take part in the Karabakh War. In April 1992, Russian Air Force pilot of Azerbaijani origin Vagif Kurbanov stole his attack aircraft to Azerbaijan and flew combat missions on it until he was shot down. Later, Azerbaijan received several more aircraft. By the end of the war, the Armenian side also had its own Su-25s. In general, during the war, Azerbaijan lost 7 Su-25s, Armenia - 1.
First Chechen War (1994-1996) The Su-25 was the main combat aircraft used by the Russian Air Force in combat operations in Chechnya. At the very beginning of hostilities, attack aircraft of this type destroyed all Chechen aviation on the ground. The Su-25 operated most intensively in the winter and spring of 1995; subsequently, aviation was used sporadically due to the nature of the war after the June truce. The attack aircraft once again confirmed their high efficiency. Combat losses amounted to 5 aircraft (four shot down and one written off due to combat damage). Despite the high combat survivability of the Su-25, one of the attack aircraft was lost as a result of the death of the pilot from enemy fire from a DShK heavy machine gun - the bullets pierced the unarmored side glass of the cockpit canopy.
Congo War (1997-2002) 8 attack aircraft were purchased by the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1999. Due to the lack of trained pilots in the national air force, all combat missions were carried out by hired pilots from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict (1998-2000) Both sides had Su-25s at the beginning of the third round of hostilities (May-June 2000). The use of X-25 and X-29 guided missiles by Ethiopian attack aircraft was noted.
Second Chechen War (1999-2000) As in the first war, Su-25s were actively used to provide close air support to ground units of the federal forces and made “free hunting” missions. The intensity of aviation operations decreased sharply after the end of the main phase of hostilities in the spring of 2000. By mid-2001, 6 attack aircraft were lost.
Conflict in Macedonia (2001) Directly during the fighting, the Macedonian Air Force received several Su-25s from Ukraine and used them to attack the positions of Albanian militants.
French-Ivoirian conflict (2004) On the afternoon of November 6, a Su-25 aircraft belonging to the Ivorian Air Force attacked the positions of the French peacekeeping contingent, as a result of which 9 peacekeepers were killed and 31 were wounded. One American citizen also died. A few hours later, French aircraft carried out a retaliatory raid on Yamoussoukro airport and destroyed both of Côte d'Ivoire's Su-25s on the ground.
Armed conflict in South Ossetia (2008) Attack aircraft were actively used by the Russian and Georgian Air Forces. During the conflict, the officially confirmed losses of the Russian Air Force in combat operations amounted to three Su-25s, four more were seriously damaged, which significantly exceeded the losses and damage to other types of aircraft used. The South Ossetian and Russian sides at different times announced the destruction of a number of Georgian aircraft (see more details). The Su-25SM were used in the war, but since these aircraft did not have an electronic warfare system, they often came under enemy fire. The outdated sighting system does not allow the aircraft to operate in bad weather conditions, or to use Kh-25/29 missiles at night; the attack aircraft mainly uses NAR and aerial bombs.
Darfur conflict (since 2003) According to the international organization Amnesty International, Sudan has repeatedly used the Su-25 to attack military and civilian targets in Darfur. The aircraft were delivered from Belarus in 2008-2010; According to the terms of the embargo imposed on Sudan by the United Nations, weapons supplied to the country must not be used in hostilities in Darfur.
Armed conflict in eastern Ukraine (since 2014) In 2014, Su-25 attack aircraft were used to a limited extent by the Ukrainian Air Force during the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine. As of November 1, 2020, the losses of aircraft of this type confirmed by the Ukrainian side were: destroyed as a result of hostilities - 5 units, damaged - 1 unit.
Armed conflict in northern Iraq (2014) Su-25s purchased by Iraq from Russia and delivered at the end of June 2014 made their first combat missions on December 25 in the skies over the outskirts of the Iraqi city of Tikrit in the province of Salah ad-Din, putting to flight militants of an extremist organization "Islamic State".
Russian military operation in Syria (2015) Since September 30, 2020, Su-25SM aircraft have been used as part of a mixed air group of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria to assist in operations against the terrorist organization ISIS.
Other conflicts On July 18, 2000, a Peruvian Su-25 shot down a plane carrying drugs.
The T-101 "Rook" aircraft takes on the appearance of a Viscount V100
The light multi-purpose single-engine aircraft T-101 "Rook" is planned to take off in the near future in a new guise of a deeply redesigned aircraft under the designation Viscount V100, the chief designer of the Industry Special Design Bureau of Experimental Aircraft Engineering of the Moscow Aviation Institute (State Technical University) told AviaPort about this. (OSKBES MAI) Vadim Demin.
— Since 2011, ASK ASA-Aerodesign LLC, with the participation of OSKBES MAI, has been designing and manufacturing prototypes of light multipurpose aircraft Viscount V100. Currently, a prototype is being manufactured and a set of design documentation is being developed for a new vehicle designated Viscount V100. It is expected that by the end of this year we will be able to begin flight testing of the new aircraft. Currently, engines and modern instrumentation equipment are being installed on aircraft, and technological development of the aircraft design and manufacturing technology is being carried out.
— If we are talking about a new aircraft, then what is the reason for such a high speed of creation of a new aircraft?
— Our new project is based on the light multi-purpose single-engine aircraft T-101 “Grach” previously developed by the famous designer E. Grunin. This aircraft was put into mass production at the facilities of MAPO (now the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG) in the amount of 50 aircraft kits. In the 1990s, very quickly after the launch of production, it became clear that there was no one to buy the aircraft - the airlines had no money. ASA-Aerodesign bought about 20 T-101 Grach aircraft kits from RSK MiG from the production reserve for deep processing of the project.
— It is known that the T-101 was equipped with a TVD-10B type theater engine, not produced in Russia. What type of engine have you chosen for the new aircraft?
— Of course, we will not install an outdated TVD type TVD-10B. For the aircraft, we provide two engine options for the aircraft power plant to expand demand in the aviation market - this is the American Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65B or Honeywell TPE331 engine with a TBO of 7,000 hours, which is almost five times higher than that of domestic analogues. A distinctive feature of the aircraft’s power plant will be that the operation of the aircraft requires aviation kerosene, and not aviation gasoline, which is expensive and not produced in Russia.
— Will the new aircraft be certified as a single aircraft (EEVS) or will the certification be for a type certificate?
— Of course, it is impossible to certify a machine such as the Viscount V100 as an EEBC. Naturally, we are talking about certification to obtain a type certificate for a machine. The aircraft is designed taking into account the requirements of aviation regulations AP-23 (Russian analogue of European standards CS-23 and American FAR-23). Currently, documents and materials are being prepared for filing an application for certification of the aircraft through the Aviation Register of the Interstate Aviation Committee.
— Do you plan to limit yourself to the construction of 20 aircraft from kits purchased from RSK MiG, or are you planning serial production of the aircraft?
- No. We will not limit ourselves to just completing 20 sets of the T-101 “Rook” production backlog. We are talking about preparing for serial production and introducing the aircraft into series. Currently, work is underway to build a production complex for serial production of aircraft with a planned production rate of 60 to 100 aircraft.
— What other distinctive features of the Viscount V100 aircraft can be named?
— The project is based on only proven and proven technical solutions, tested by the developer on previously created aircraft and tested in production and operation. The design of the aircraft is based exclusively on traditional materials, well mastered by the domestic industry, and each type of these materials can be of either Russian or foreign origin. The design of the aircraft is created taking into account the requirements of high manufacturability and serial production. Along with the use of traditional technological processes, it is planned to introduce modern high-precision and productive equipment. The materials used at the same time, as well as the design solutions used in the design, provide the aircraft with excellent maintainability. All vital components of the aircraft are created taking into account the fatigue of materials to ensure an increased service life. This is achieved by appropriate selection of materials, reducing the level of load on the power points of the structure, as well as other measures. Good access to the most critical components and mechanisms during operation is provided.
— What area of application do you offer on the aviation market for the new aircraft?
— An important area of application is establishing transport communications and developing hard-to-reach areas. In its class, the aircraft has a unique cabin that allows you to move freely during the flight, and the landing speed and landing gear design, which is very important, allow you to land on poorly prepared airfields, even selecting a site from the air.
The aircraft is excellent for performing special transportation within the framework of state aviation (Ministry of Emergency Situations, Federal Border Service, etc.). In addition, the aircraft is necessary for the release of paratroopers, where the main role is played by the rate of climb and the size of the passenger cabin. According to these criteria, Viscount V100 is not only not inferior, but even superior to its analogues. Its widespread use in our country and the CIS countries can be its use in flying clubs and for training jumps in the airborne troops.
The aircraft is suitable for air patrolling of oil and gas pipelines, power lines, forests, and reservoirs; aerial photography, instrumental monitoring - the machine has a convenient placement of equipment and space for the operator to work, short approach times due to unpretentiousness to the runways and excellent visibility from the cockpit, and is also simple and economical to operate.
— At the MAI design bureau, work was carried out to create several types of aircraft, in particular, the MAI-208 gyroplane. At what stage is the development of this gyroplane now?
— The MAI-208 gyroplane was built, brought to the airfield, taxiing and running around the airfield were carried out. Tests showed strong instability in the movement of the gyroplane during runs around the airfield and approaches, that is, the need to change the design of the gyroplane chassis was practically identified, and now the MAI-208 will have a nose gear. I think that by the end of this year we will complete this work.
— Previously, there was information about the development of a light multi-purpose aircraft MAI-407 with the possibility of mastering its serial production at the Ryazan LLC REMZ-Avia. At what stage is the technological preparation of production now?
— Currently, for the MAI-407 project, we have practically made all the necessary technological equipment and are transferring it to Ryazan.
— The development of the MAI-223 “Kitenok” design bureau was at one time quite widely covered in specialized publications. A variant of the aircraft with a front strut was being developed. What is the current situation with the MAI-223 program?
“Unfortunately, there has been little success so far. As you know, our production at MAI does not allow serial production of the aircraft. Previously, it was expected that serial production of the MAI-223 would be organized at the production site of the Ural Civil Aviation Plant, but this did not happen; the plant switched to the production of drones.
MAI-223 No. 04 with a nose strut has passed the first stage of flight tests, everything is fine, we just need to make minor modifications to the front fork. This machine is practically custom made. Our production has a one-year production cycle for an aircraft after an order, which scares off potential customers.
— We know about work on the MAI-227 airframe and the MAI-890 aircraft with improved finishing. Is work on them currently underway?
— No work is being carried out on the promising airframe MAI-227 because there is no investor to finance the completion of development. As for the MAI-890 aircraft with improved finishing, one such aircraft with an improved cabin was manufactured and delivered to the customer. If there are orders, we will do it, but the production backlog of the sets remains very small.
Dmitry Kozlov
Performance characteristics of the Su-25K
Crew: 1 pilot
Overall dimensions of the Su-25 Length: 15.36 m (with LDPE); Wingspan: 14.36 m; Height: 4.8 m; Wing area: 30.1 m²; Chassis base: 3.57 m; Chassis track: 2.51 m Empty weight: 9315 kg Curb weight: 11 600 kg Normal take-off weight: 14 600 kg Maximum take-off weight: 17 600 kg Fuel weight in internal tanks: 3000 kg Power plant: 2 × R-95Sh turbojet engine Thrust : 2 × 4100 kgf (40.2 kN) Maximum speed: 950 km/h (with normal combat load) Cruising speed: 750 km/h Practical range (with normal combat load): at altitude without PTB 640 km; at the ground without PTB 495 km Ferry range: 1950 km Practical ceiling: 7000 m Maximum combat altitude: 5000 m Rate of climb: 60 m/s (at the ground with a load of 1000 kg) Thrust-to-weight ratio: 0.56 / 0.466 (at normal/max take-off weight) Maximum operational overload: with normal combat load: + 6.5g with maximum combat load: + 5.2g Avionics Laser illumination station: “Klen-PS” GLONASS satellite navigation system (for Su-25SM)
