Sukhoi Su-25SM Grach close air support (CAS) crews of the Russian Southern Military District air regiment stationed in the Krasnodar region destroyed surface targets during flight tactical exercises at an aviation training ground in the Stavropol region. The Su-25SM crews carried out a massive rocket and on the airfield of the mock enemy. Also, the pilots worked out combat turns, landing on an unfamiliar airfield, techniques for avoiding air defence, manoeuvring when evading fighter aircraft.The entire flight and engineering staff of the SMD aviation regiment, as well as logistics and communications specialists, were involved in the exercise.
The Su-25SM (Stroyevoy Modernizirovannyi) is an “affordable” upgrade programme for the Su-25, conceived by the Russian Air Force in 2000. The programme stems from the attempted Su-25T and Su-25TM upgrades, which were evaluated and labeled as over-sophisticated and expensive. The SM upgrade incorporates avionics enhancements and airframe refurbishment to extend the Frogfoot’s service life by up to 500 flight hours or 5 years. The Su-25SM’s all-new PRnK-25SM “Bars” navigation/attack suite is built around the BTsVM-90 digital computer system, originally planned for the Su-25TM upgrade programme.
The Sukhoi Su-25 Grach (NATO reporting name: Frogfoot) is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by Sukhoi. It was designed to provide close air support for the Soviet Ground Forces. The first prototype made its maiden flight on 22 February 1975. After testing, the aircraft went into series production in 1978 at Tbilisi in the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. Early variants included the Su-25UB two-seat trainer, the Su-25BM for target-towing, and the Su-25K for export customers. Some aircraft were being upgraded to Su-25SM standard in 2012.
