Sukhoi Su-25

Sukhoi Su-25
Name	Sukhoi Su-25
Type	Close air support aircraft
Manufacturer	Sukhoi
First flight	22 February 1975
Introduced	1981
Status	Active
Primary user	Soviet Air Forces

Sukhoi Su-25 is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft designed for close air support and ground-attack missions, developed by the Soviet Union and produced by Sukhoi. It entered service with the Soviet Air Forces in the early 1980s and saw extensive use in regional conflicts such as the Soviet–Afghan War, Iran–Iraq War, and post-Soviet wars. The type has been operated by numerous countries including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Ethiopia, and Azerbaijan, and has a reputation comparable to the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II in role and survivability.

Development

Development began in the early 1970s as a response to requirements issued by the Soviet Air Force following experience in Vietnam War and lessons from the Yom Kippur War, aiming to replace aging aircraft like the Ilyushin Il-10 and Sukhoi Su-17 in the close air support role. The Sukhoi design bureau led by engineers linked to projects such as the Sukhoi Su-7 and Sukhoi Su-17 produced prototypes designated T-8, with the first flight on 22 February 1975. After flight-testing at facilities near Zhukovsky (airfield) and evaluations at Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute, production commenced at factories including the Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing (TAM) and Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant. The aircraft completed state acceptance trials involving units from the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany and was accepted into service by decree of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR.

Design

The aircraft features a straight-wing, armored cockpit and redundant systems intended to survive small-arms fire and man-portable air-defense systems; its monocoque fuselage and titanium armor around the pilot drew comparisons with the A-10 Thunderbolt II and the Ilyushin Il-2. Power is provided by twin turbojet engines derived from designs used in engines for the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 and other Soviet fighters, mounted in nacelles for damage resistance. Avionics evolved through upgrades influenced by systems fielded on platforms like the MiG-29 and Su-27 families, incorporating navigation, targeting pods, and communications compatible with doctrines from the Warsaw Pact. Armament centers on a nose-mounted 30 mm cannon comparable to the GSh-30-2 family and a wide range of external stores carried on multiple hardpoints, integrating rocket pods, guided weapons such as the Kh-25, and unguided bombs used in conflicts like the First Chechen War.

Operational history

Initial combat use occurred during the Soviet–Afghan War where crews from regiments previously stationed in East Germany and Czechoslovakia adapted tactics for close air support against insurgent forces such as the Mujahideen. The type later participated in the Iran–Iraq War and saw action in the Angolan Civil War, Eritrean–Ethiopian War, and the First Nagorno-Karabakh War with export customers employing the platform. Post-Soviet services used upgraded examples in the Second Chechen War, the Russo-Georgian War, and the Syrian Civil War where reports linked Su-25 operations to strikes around Aleppo and Idlib Governorate. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, both Russian Aerospace Forces and the Ukrainian Air Force operated Su-25s, with sorties over regions including Donbas and Crimea shaping contested air operations. The aircraft has been modernized in variant programs aligned with modernization efforts in Russia and export customers such as Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Variants

Production and modernization produced numerous variants: the original single-seat attack versions followed by two-seat trainers used in conversion units and export; upgraded avionics and weaponization packages akin to programs undertaken by Ukroboronprom and Russian firms. Notable specialized variants adapted for reconnaissance and electronic warfare roles echoed modifications seen on aircraft like the MiG-25RB reconnaissance variants. Export customers in states such as Ethiopia and Peru received tailored standards, while modernization kits provided by companies in Russia and Ukraine introduced navigation pods and improved countermeasures comparable to upgrades on the MiG-29 fleet.

Operators

Current and former operators include states from former Warsaw Pact members to African and Asian air arms: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Ethiopia, Peru, Moldova, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Syria, Georgia, Angola, Algeria, and North Korea among others. International training and transfer arrangements involved institutions such as the VKS training units and factories in Tbilisi and Komsomolsk-on-Amur facilitating deliveries to buyers.

Specifications

Typical single-seat Su-25 (approximate): - Crew: 1 (pilot) - Length: ~15 m - Wingspan: ~14.4 m - Powerplant: 2 × turbofan/turbojet engines (Soviet design families) - Maximum takeoff weight: ~20,000 kg - Speed: ~975 km/h (max) - Range: ~750–1,000 km ferry - Armament: 1× 30 mm cannon and up to 4,400 kg of external ordnance on multiple hardpoints including rockets, bombs, guided missiles like the Kh-25 and pods similar to those on the Su-24.

Incidents and combat losses

Combat losses have been recorded in the Soviet–Afghan War, First Chechen War, Russo-Georgian War, Syrian Civil War, and the Russo-Ukrainian War with causes ranging from man-portable air-defense systems and anti-aircraft artillery to air-to-air engagements involving platforms such as the MiG-29 and surface fire linked to incidents near locations like Grozny, Aleppo, and the Donetsk Oblast. High-profile shootdowns and emergency landings involving pilots from units of the Russian Air Force and Ukrainian Air Force have been widely reported.

Category:Attack aircraft Category:Sukhoi aircraft