News about the Su-25 attack aircraft: suggestions and questions
The renewal of the fleet of equipment of the armed forces is associated not only with the construction and supply of new models, but also with the abandonment of obsolete cars. Such decisions are logical and should not be surprising. However, one of the last News on this account has become an occasion for debate and discussion. As it became known a few days ago, the leadership of the Russian industry intends to abandon the production of one of the main front-line aircraft aviation - attack aircraft Su-25 "Rook".
The most important statement about the future of the Su-25 aircraft was 7 February. Speaking about the prospects of the aviation industry, the Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov touched on the production of attack aircraft. He stated that the Su-25 "will not be produced in serial quantities anymore." Now the industry will be engaged only in the modernization of the “already new version of the Su-25TM”. As a potential replacement for the Rooks, the minister called the Yak-130 combat training aircraft, which, with certain modifications, can serve as a light attack aircraft.
Any news of the cessation of production of well-known weapons and military equipment has always attracted public attention. Recent reports of the fate of the Su-25 were no exception. Specialists and the general public showed interest in the statements of the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and, as always, tried to predict what they would entail. Indeed, the current situation is of certain interest and should be carefully studied.
First of all, it should be noted that the words of the minister are very specifically combined with the famous picture. It is alleged that Su-25 will no longer be produced in large quantities. However, if we are talking about the basic modification of the aircraft, then it is no longer produced for many years. The fact is that airplanes of the first modification were mass-produced at the Tbilisi aircraft plant. In the early nineties, Georgia declared independence, and as a result, the production of aircraft for the Russian Air Force stopped. Thus, the last batch of Grach planes of the first version was transferred to the customer in 1991, after which the Russian armed forces did not receive this type of equipment.
Shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the production of Su-25T attack aircraft, with increased potential in the fight against tanks the enemy. Before the well-known events, the plant managed to build about two dozen aircraft, after which production stopped. Subsequently, these machines worked out their life, after which all the remaining aircraft left for eternal parking.
From 1986, the “Rooks” of the Su-25UB military training modification were built by the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (U-UAZ). Soon, the first Su-25UTG aircraft, designed for use as deck attack aircraft, came out of the assembly shop. However, already in 1992, the mass production of this technology was curtailed due to the economic problems of the armed forces and the country as a whole. Later, during the nineties and two thousand years, U-UAZ took part in several new projects for the modernization and renovation of existing aircraft. For example, only a few Su-39 aircraft were built, one Su-28 prototype, etc. All these projects could not be brought to mass production and operation in the army.
Thus, at the moment, the cessation of the mass construction of Su-25 aircraft is simply impossible. The massive assembly of such equipment stopped in the early nineties, and after that our country was not able to launch the production of attack aircraft on the new site. Even with all the prototypes, the total number of “Rooks” of all modifications built in Ulan-Ude does not exceed several dozen. Thus, it is impossible to stop the mass production of the Su-25 because of its absence.
Statements about the continuation of work on upgrading the newer Su-25TM aircraft may also raise some questions. The designation Su-25TM originally wore a plane, now known as the Su-39. This modification of the attack aircraft was developed from the mid-eighties as a deep modernization of the already created Su-25T. The terms of reference for the project implied the use of new airborne equipment capable of ensuring the possibility of combat work at any time of the day. In addition, the Su-25TM was supposed to carry more efficient weapons.
Su-39 prototype
Serial production of Su-25TM aircraft was planned to be launched in Tbilisi, but the collapse of the USSR prevented the implementation of these plans. In the future, attempts were made to create a joint venture, but they were not crowned with success. Because of this, the production of aircraft offered to deploy on the U-UAZ. In Ulan-Ude were built experienced and pre-production aircraft. In addition, it was at this stage that the project received the new name Su-39. Due to the limited financial capabilities of the military department, such a front-line aircraft was not accepted for armament and was not mass-produced.
What exactly is meant by the proposal to continue the modernization of the Su-25TM / Su-39 - is unknown. Moreover, the very possibility of such an upgrade is a reason for doubt. Only a few such aircraft were built, which is why their modernization is unlikely to give noticeable results in the context of the combat capabilities of all front-line aviation.
It can be assumed that in the context of the modernization of existing equipment there was an elementary confusion. At present, a program of deep modernization of aircraft in service is in fact being implemented, which is necessary to extend their service life and increase combat potential. However, upgraded aircraft receive the designation Su-25CM3, not Su-25TM. The names of the two projects are not very similar, but confusion cannot be ruled out.
The project Su-25M3 implies a cardinal processing of a complex of onboard radio-electronic equipment, which allows to significantly improve the characteristics of technology. The satellite system becomes the main means of navigation of the improved aircraft. The standard sight is replaced by a full-fledged indicator on the windshield associated with the aiming and navigation complex. The latter includes the subsystem SVP-24-25, which is necessary for more accurate destruction of targets. Considering the various parameters of both the aircraft and the environment, this subsystem determines the optimal uncoupling moment weapons. As a result, the accuracy of hitting such weapons is significantly increased, which saves on guided weapons using free-fall bombs.
Over the past few years, the domestic aviation industry has been upgrading existing equipment in the Air Force under a new project. According to reports, about half of the ground attack aircraft from combat units have been repaired and upgraded before the Su-25CM / CM3 modification. It is not difficult to understand exactly how the combat potential of the front-line aviation has changed in connection with the implementation of the new project, and for how long similar results will remain.
However, over time, even upgraded attack aircraft will have to develop a resource that will force the armed forces to abandon them. Given the lack of mass production of the Su-25 family, other samples of technology with similar or similar characteristics will have to claim the role of the main attack aircraft of the front-line aviation. Thus, in his recent speech, Minister D. Manturov called the new Yak-130 training and combat aircraft a possible successor to the “Rook”.
It should be noted that the possibility of adaptation (at least theoretically) of a training aircraft for use as a shock machine is not news. Almost from the very beginning of work on the Yak-130 project, the organization-developer spoke about the possibility of solving various tasks, including those connected with the attack of enemy ground targets. Subsequently, even a draft of such a light attack aircraft was developed. In 2011, the project with the designation Yak-131 took part in a competition of the Ministry of Defense, the purpose of which was to select a promising attack aircraft. Choosing the winner of the competition, the military specialists found the upgraded version of Rook to be more successful.
In connection with the latest events, statements and plans of the management of the industry, they can again recall the attack aircraft project based on the combat training Yak-130. Such a machine should have noticeable differences from the Su-25 of all modifications, but it may indeed be of interest to the customer, including the Russian military. The main differences of the attack aircraft based on the Yak-130 from the serial "Rooks" in the context of combat use are in size and, as a result, in the combat load. Having a maximum mass of just over 10 t, the Yak-130 can take on board only 3 t weapons. For comparison, the Su-25 base model, these parameters were 17,6 and 4,4 t, respectively.
Yak-130 has eight external points of the suspension, located under the wing and fuselage. Uncontrollable rockets or large unguided rockets suspended directly on pylons can be transported on them. It is also possible to transport and use up to four unguided bombs in caliber up to 500 kg. For self-defense aircraft can carry short-range air-to-air missiles of the P-73 type.
Also, other types of equipment can be considered as a possible alternative for existing Su-25. Last June, Commander-in-Chief of the All-Union Military Space Force Colonel-General Viktor Bondarev, during a visit to the Novosibirsk Aviation Plant, spoke about possible ways for the future development of front-line aviation. According to him, the newest Su-34 front-line bomber will have to replace the existing Su-24 aircraft in the future, when they have developed an established resource. In the future, it is planned to consider the Su-34 as an attack aviation aircraft. This machine has already managed to establish itself well, which is why it can be considered in new roles.
For objective reasons, the details of the possible adaptation of a front-line bomber to work as part of attack aircraft are not yet known. Moreover, this issue may not yet have been worked out by specialists of the military department. However, the prospects for such ideas can be assessed right now. Indeed, the Su-34 has the highest technical and combat performance. This technique has shown good results, participating both in combat training activities and in a full-fledged military operation in Syria. Aircraft are able to find and hit a variety of targets with the use of any weapon that is included in the compatible nomenclature of ammunition.
However, the proposal to create a new attack aircraft based on the Su-34 can and criticize. The most obvious reason for criticism is the specific ratio of the cost of equipment and the proposed combat missions. Only the inappropriateness of sending an expensive and complex machine to attack can put an end to such a project. Certain problems with service may also arise: the “Rook” is simpler and more convenient from this point of view, which gives it appreciable advantages in the framework of full-fledged conflicts.
As follows from the words of the Commander-in-Chief of the VKS, the adaptation of the Su-34 for assault work refers to the perspective. Thus, in the foreseeable future, experts will have to determine all the pros and cons of available alternatives to the existing Su-25, after which they will draw the necessary conclusions. If this or that technique of a new type can really become a good competitor to “Rook” or surpass it - it will get chances to get into the troops.
The latest news about the development of front-line attack aircraft and the prospects for the Su-25 attack aircraft left a lot of questions, and also caused disputes. Some statements directly contradicted the famous picture, or could fit into it only with very serious reservations. Nevertheless, the current situation can be viewed from a different point of view. With all its ambiguity and controversy, the words of officials show the interest of the leadership of the military department and industry in the further development of aviation technology. New ways are proposed to increase the combat effectiveness of aerospace forces, including implying the abandonment of some samples in favor of others. This suggests that in the future, front-line aviation in Russia will retain and even increase its strike potential by updating the existing technology and building a completely new one.
On the materials of the sites:
http://rg.ru/
http://tass.ru/
http://vpk.name/
http://sukhoi.org/
http://arms-expo.ru/
http://airwar.ru/
- Ryabov Kirill
- Airwar.ru, Wikimedia Commons
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