Su-25 attack aircraft

Not really testing GLONASS.

This is more of a test of night and all weather flight capability in mountains... a very difficult thing indeed as winds can create treacherous conditions in mountains.

Such capability would enable automatic flight pretty much anywhere in any conditions meaning the crew can focus on targets more.

Glonass can of course help there too... when called in to support troops if the ground forces can locate the enemy positions precisely the Frogfoot can engage them from stand off ranges using Glonass guided bombs and missiles which makes them rather safer from ground fire.

Would be good of the Frogfoot got the capability to carry a targeting pod that enabled them to transmit video data of the enemy position to the commander on the ground so the commander could use that information to mark targets for the pilots and artillery...

that would make the job of the pilot easier and safer and ensure the ground forces get the support they want.

Su-25SM3 at Finish Line

Upgraded Su-25SM3 fighter bomber is preparing to undergo flight testing.

“At the present time we are preparing routine tests of attack aircraft, which are expected to start in the first half of this year,” the Military-Industrial Courier reports, citing a source in the military-industrial complex. According to him, “the control tests will finally pave the way for the beginning of the serial modernization of Su-25 fighter bombers into a modification Su-25SM3.”

“Modification of the Su-25SM3 was the result of a complex flight tests in 2013 and 2014. Option Su-25SM3 seriously differs even from the previously modernized Su-25SM because of armament and on-board equipment,” the source said. He reported that the Su-25SM complex receives a set of electronic warfare “Vitebsk-25″, the nomenclature of aircraft weapons is greatly expanded.

George1 wrote:Su-25SM3 at Finish Line

Upgraded Su-25SM3 fighter bomber is preparing to undergo flight testing.

“At the present time we are preparing routine tests of attack aircraft, which are expected to start in the first half of this year,” the Military-Industrial Courier reports, citing a source in the military-industrial complex. According to him, “the control tests will finally pave the way for the beginning of the serial modernization of Su-25 fighter bombers into a modification Su-25SM3.”

“Modification of the Su-25SM3 was the result of a complex flight tests in 2013 and 2014. Option Su-25SM3 seriously differs even from the previously modernized Su-25SM because of armament and on-board equipment,” the source said. He reported that the Su-25SM complex receives a set of electronic warfare “Vitebsk-25″, the nomenclature of aircraft weapons is greatly expanded.

Sound really nice.

Why would a CAS aircraft need a EW complex?

For jamming/disabling MANPADs or short-range AA?

EDIT: I looked up the Vitebsk-25 and it seems that my guess is correct. Actually it's for both; it basically consists of a Radar jammer and also an IR-dazzler for use against MANPADs

New Su-25SM3 will start to roll out from the factory starting Q4 2015


Production of modernized Su-25SM3 begin in the fourth quarter of this year

First glimpse of the SM3 upgrade? Apart from the unidentified item under the tail (DIRCM?), there is what appears to be an ECM pod under the wing in place of the AAM launchers.
http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=32254&page=79

On the tail you see new L-150 Pastel RWR sensors and this must be a towed decoy mechanism, it is just to huge to be anything else and DIRCM's are always balls so they can rotate towards the threat, DIRCM's will probably be on the wingtip pods you see on 2nd picture would make the most sense since they could face forward or backwards to dazzle missiles.

Might just be the optical launch warning sensors.

TR1 wrote:Might just be the optical launch warning sensors.

Guess you are right, same cover K3-2 on L-136 on Ka-52.



But an ugly housing i must say.

Yeah pretty hideous, but as long as the jet-wash does not harm/interfere with them, should be ok.

Good question how much the exhaust gasses would interfere with MAWS, but i guess they have tested it.

L-150 Patel RWR was present in all Su-25SM planes. New is this MAWS sensor we see under the tail. Optical MAWS sensor could be either IR either UV. I don't know, how much jet exhaust could interfere to UV sensor.

Thanks for input all, indeed they've probably chosen that installation to avoid jet exhaust interference. Wonder if the SM3 will also have forward facing MAWS sensors, and where the DIRCM would fit.

Su-25SM3 strike-fighter is being prepared for flight testing

Flight testing of the upgraded Su-25SM3 strike-fighter will be started in a few months, Voenno-promishlenniy Courier reports with reference to a source close to the military-industrial sector.

«At present we are preparing for flight testing of the strike-fighter, which should be started in the first half of 2015,» the source said. According to him, “the flight testing will “pave the way” for mass upgrade of Su-25 strike-fighters operated by the air forces to Su-25SM3 version».

«Su-25SM3 version was developed following the results of flight tests carried out in 2013 and 2014. Su-25SM3 version differs significantly even from upgraded Su-25SM strike-fighters in terms of weapons and avionics suite,» the source added. He said that Su-25SM is fitted Vitebsk-25 EW suite and it is able to use more weapons.

Su-25 strike-fighters were manufactured by two aviation plants located in Ulan-Ude (Su-25UB operational trainers) and Tbilisi (combat Su-25 jets with an output of 140-150 aircraft per year). A total of 1320 Su-25 jets have been manufactured.

What do you guys makes of this rumour: Gefest will have it's upgrade package installed this year in Su-24M, Tu-22M3 and Su-25! The guy says it's not for the Su-25SM version but another upgrade "branch" of the Su-25. Is it for VVS or export? And who (or what) is Babak?
http://forums.airforce.ru/foto-video/6316-aviadarts-2015-a/#post118683

Also, it seems the Su-24M Gefest upgrade continues, makes one wonder how many have been upgraded and are planned to be.

SM3 details:



PS: ignore 2, it's just a bottle

Shit, I don't see any DIRCM yet.

Shit, I don't see any DIRCM yet.

Sukhoi Su-25SM attack aircraft tactical flight training begins in Russia’s south

The maneuvers involve up to 100 troops, about 20 modernized Sukhoi Su-25SM attack aircraft and about 50 units of special military equipment

MOSCOW, March 11. /TASS/. Tactical flight training exercises with live firing have been launched in Russia’s Stavropol region, the press service of the Southern Military District reported on Wednesday.

"The maneuvers involve up to 100 troops, about 20 modernized Sukhoi Su-25SM attack aircraft and about 50 units of special military equipment. The demonstration exercise also involves more than 30 representatives of the command of aviation units of the Air Force and Air Defence grouping of the military district," a representative of the Southern Military District said.

According to him, during the main phase of the exercise the aircraft squadron of attack planes are to hit targets, simulating helicopters and army aviation facilities of the imaginary enemy at the Arzgir range.

"The pilots will also demonstrate their advanced aerobatics skills performing such elements as barrel roll, horizontal roll and skewed loop, attack heading turnover, vertical loop at speeds from 300 to 800 km per hour and altitudes of 1.5 thousand to 3 thousand metres," the Southern Military District source said.

During the exercise the pilots are to perform about 30 scheduled sorties, 80 launches of rockets and fire about 800 rounds from aircraft guns.

The Southern Military District (North Caucasus Military District before 2010) is within the administrative borders of the Republic of Adygea, Republic of Dagestan, Republic of Ingushetia, the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, the Republic of Kalmykia, the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, the Republic of Crimea, the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, the Chechen Republic, the Krasnodar, Stavropol territories, the Astrakhan, Volgograd, Rostov regions and the city of Sevastopol.

Nice

Su-25 upgrade to the most modern modification - Sioux 25SM3

"It is expected that work on the first batch of upgraded technology Su-25SM3 will be completed in the fourth quarter of this year", - said the source.

Viktor wrote:Nice  

Su-25 upgrade to the most modern modification - Sioux 25SM3

"It is expected that work on the first batch of upgraded technology Su-25SM3 will be completed in the fourth quarter of this year", - said the source.

It will be interesting to see if they will feature the L370-5 'Vitebsk' self-defense suite as the report hints...

According to him, in the future it is planned to upgrade to SM-3 not only the su-25, but previously upgraded su-25SM. "The technical documentation was transferred to 121 ARZ last year. Before that special flight tests were conducted, during which tested a new means of defense, attack, and new types of guided and unguided munitions," - said the Agency interlocutor.

And apparently it will be able to engage up to 4 targets in one pass

He noted that through the use of new aircraft weapons and EW systems the su-25SM3 got the possibility to defeat four ground targets in one attack

That might mean it has autotrack and autolockon which would easen the work of the pilot to actually destroy then one or two targets per strife.

It says up to 4 targets in one pass... now imagine you are flying in on a bunker when a radar system lights up your aircraft, and two tanks appear... you have under your wing pylons two Kh-29s, two Kh-25MP missiles, and two Kh-25MAE missiles.

You lock on and launch the TV guided Kh-29 to deal with the bunker and automatically fire a Kh-25MP missile at the radar source and then lock and launch the two Kh-25MAE missiles at the two tanks you detected.

With all of those weapons being fire and forget you can then break away from your run and manouver for another attack to look at the results of your first engagement.

the Kh-29T with a 320kg HE shaped charge warhead should demolish the bunker fairly easily, while the Kh-25MP should deal with the radar source, and the two tanks should be destroyed by the 90kg HE warhead on each of the Kh-25MAEs.

Of course they could also refer to the use of Vikhr missiles... perhaps an upgrade related to the Pantsir upgrade where 4 targets can be engaged at one time with three guided by radar and one by electro optics... that would allow four targets to be engaged in one pass too.

Defense Minister orders creation of military, social infrastructure for Siberian airfield

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu inspects the airfield in Siberia's Trans-Baikal territory, where a separate assault regiment on Su-25 jets will be accommodated

STEP AIRFIELD/Trans-Baikal Territory/, June 8. /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu set the task on Monday of creating by 2016 both military and social infrastructure for the airfield and military town Step, Siberia's Trans-Baikal territory, where a separate assault regiment on Su-25 jets will be accommodated.

Shoigu has arrived on an inspection visit to the forces of the Eastern military district. His working trip started with the inspection of the Step airfield located some 250 kilometers (155.3 miles) to the south-east of Chita, the administrative center of the Trans-Baikal territory.

"All the works are to be completed in 2016," the minister said as he listened to the report of the representatives of the Third Command of the Air Force and Air Defense of the Eastern military district and the leadership of the federal agency for special construction, Spetstroy.

After the construction of the airfield is completed, a separate assault regiment will be located there allowing enhancing geographical capabilities of the combat aviation. Some 1,000 servicemen are expected to settle there.

During his trip, Shoigu is also due to listen to a report of the Eastern military district’s command on the progress on implementing the Action Plan Up to 2020 and also check the effort aimed at organizing combat training of military units and subdivisions of the district.

More than 10 Su-25SM3 to be delivered this year.
http://news.rambler.ru/politics/30573473/

Last time we saw any footage/ images the first SM3 birds were just being finished, surely flight testing should have started by now? Would love some images.