frontline bomber
SU-25 Frogfoot – Putin’s ground attack aircraft is outdated but almost indestructible
The SU-25 was always behind the Fairchild Republic A-10 in perception. The reasons: She looked like a normal jet and wasn’t as ugly as the warthog. And it didn’t have such a unique gun as the A-10’s GAU-8/A Avenger.
With the SU-25, Ukrainian and Russian pilots attack targets on the ground. Photos show that the old machines can also take heavy hits.
Both Russia and Ukraine use a Cold War aircraft to engage ground targets, the SU 25. NATO-named Frogfoot. The machine itself is hopelessly outdated, also because most of the specimens have not undergone extensive modernization. Russian jets rose to prominence when it became known that pilots had to operate without a navigation system and fly to their destinations by chart and sight. They were only able to get civil outdoor navigation systems through crowdfunding at home. Which were then attached with adhesive film in the cockpit.
origin in World War II
Other than that, the SU-25 is a dangerous fighter. It is heavily armed and can withstand severe damage. Ground attack aircraft have always been armored since the Soviet Ilyushin IL-2 “Sturmovik” attack aircraft of World War II (Ilyushin IL-2 “Sturmovik” – the Soviet flying tank). At that time, an innovation was introduced at the Sturmovik. The crew sat in a bathtub made of armored steel. In the 1970s, the idea of a heavy ground attack aircraft was rediscovered by the Americans and Russians. These machines were designed to attack the enemy’s armored spearheads from low altitude. In addition, they had an armament of bombs and rockets, but above all a powerful on-board cannon. Light attack aircraft, such as those used in the Vietnam War, seemed unsuitable for breaching enemy air defenses.
The US counterpart of the SU-25 is the Fairchild-Republic A-10, dubbed the Warthog, Warthog (Warthog – Fairchild-Republic A-10 – the most powerful aircraft in the world). Although designed for similar purposes, both machines differ significantly. The most striking thing is the arrangement of the engines. The A-10’s turbines are mounted above the wings, the wings are designed to protect them from ground fire. The SU-25, however, are conventionally integrated as a pair of twins in the fuselage. Also, since the A-10’s engines are widely spaced, it is easier to extinguish a fire and prevent a fire from spreading to the second engine. The smaller SU-25 is faster and has a longer range.
Frog foot with center autocannon
Her main weapon is a twin 30mm autocannon, each with 250 rounds of ammunition. A deadly weapon, if not quite as impressive 30mm Gatling autocannon GAU-8/A Warthog Avenger. In addition to the cannon, the SU-25 can carry a variety of bombs and missiles at the outstations. In total, she can carry six tons of weapons.
The pilots sit in a titanium tub, many control systems are duplicated to continue working under fire. Both ground attack aircraft are extremely robust. There are also photos of the A-10 with numerous bullet holes. In the Ukraine war, however, the front-line bombers were not only fired at with machine guns, but also with Manpads. For the second time, a SU-25 survived a missile hit and was able to return to the airport. Photos show the impact and the shredded armor around the engines. Despite the detonation, the drive continued to work. The pilots were even able to extend the landing gear and land the machine normally. But despite the successful landing, this frog’s foot is likely to be out for a long time.
Also read:
Ilyushin IL-2 “Sturmovik” – the Soviet flying tank
Warthog – Fairchild-Republic A-10 – the most powerful aircraft in the world
Ju 87 Stuka – this machine bombed Hitler’s lightning victories
Super Tucano Embraer A-29