Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>Su-25>HA6103
Su-25 "Frogfoot" Red 59, 378. OShAP, VVS, USSR attached to air forces of the 40th Army, Bagram AB, Afghanistan 1986
General Background
In 1999 Russia decided to upgrade their aging Su-25 aircraft with actual work beginning in 2001.
The first of the upgraded aircraft designated Su-25SM (Stroyevoy Modernizirovannyi) Grach
(Rook) flew on March 3, 2002 with the first six modernized aircraft entering service with the
Russian Air Force in December 2006. The idea behind the modernization was to expand the life
of the Su-25, make it All-Weather capable, more lethal and reduce operating and maintenance
cost. Increased ordnance loads and a wider selection were also added.
The Aircraft
The 378th OShaP (Independent Attack Aviation Regiment) was formed in November 1984 made
up by the 1st AE (Aviatsionnaya Eskadrilya - Aviation Squadron) stationed at Bagram and the 2nd
AE at Kandahar. The regiment consisted of twenty two Su-25s, fourteen at Bagram and eight at
Kandahar. The third rotation of personnel took place between October 1986 and October 1987.
Between November 1986 and February 1987 four Su-25s were lost due to Stinger Missiles used
by the Mujahedeen. Su-25 defenses were upgraded as well as new tactics were developed.
Specifications :
| Manufacturer: | Sukhoi Design Bureau |
| Role: | Close Air Support (CAS) |
| Number Built: | 1024 |
| User Countries: | Approximately 28 |
| Crew: | 1 Pilot |
| Dimensions | |
| Length: | 15.53 m (51 ft) including nose probe |
| Wingspan: | 14.3 m (47 ft 2 in) |
| Height: | 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in) |
| Weight: | |
| Empty: | 9,800 kg (21,605 lbs) |
| Normal Takeoff : | 14,400 kg (31,835 lbs) |
| Maximum Takeoff: | 19,300 kg (42,549 lbs) |
| Performance | |
| Power Plant: | 2 X Soyuz/Tumansky R-195 Turbojets Producing 44.18 kN (9,921 lbf) Per Engine |
| Maximum speed: | Mach .079 (975 km/h) (606 mph) @ Sea Level |
| Rate Of Climb: | 58 m/s (11,400 ft/min) |
| Service Ceiling | |
| Clean: | 7,000 m (23,000 ft) |
| With Ordnance: | 5,000 m (16,000 ft) |
| Range: | Cruise Clean @ Altitude – 1,000 km (621 nmi) |
| Combat Range | 750 km (405 nmi) @ Sea Level With 4,400 kg (9,700 lbs) Of Ordnance and 2 External Fuel Tank |
| Maximum G-Load: | 6.5 g+ |
| Armament: | |
| Gun: | 1 X 30 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-2 Auto-Cannon With 250 Rounds SPPU-22 Gun Pods To House 2 X 23 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23 Auto-Cannons With 260 Rounds |
| Hardpoints: | 11 For Maximum Load of 4,400 kg (9,700 lbs) Of Various Combinations
Rockets UB-32A Rocket Pods For S-5 Rockets B-8M1 Rocket Pods For S-8 Rockets S-13 S-24 S-25 Missiles Air-To-Air K-13A R-60 R-73E Air-To-Surface Kh-23 Kh-25ML Kh-29L Anti-Radiation Kh-28 Bombs FAB-250 GPB FAB-500 GPB KAB-500K TV-Guided ZB-500 Incendiary |
| Other: | ASO-2V Chaff and Flare Dispensers
Some Su-25 Deployed in Syria Carried 4 Rows of ASO-2V Dispensers Along Upper Tail Cone Surface Behind Vertical Stabilizer |
| Radar: | Phazoton Kopyo |