Su-25
Sukhoi · Soviet Union · first flew 1975 · fighter
The Su-25 Frogfoot is a heavily armoured, subsonic twin-engine close air support aircraft nicknamed the flying tank.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Engines hugging the fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Straight high-set wings
- Slab-sided armoured nose
- Engines hugging the fuselage
Spot it by the long straight high-mounted wings, the blunt armoured nose and the two engines mounted tight against the lower fuselage sides, each in a slim nacelle.
Specifications
- The Su-25 has a length of 15.53 m (51 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.36 m (47 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 975 km/h (606 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1975 and in service from 1981, the Su-25 was the Soviet answer to the US A-10, built around a titanium bathtub cockpit and rugged systems for survivability over the battlefield. It was combat-proven extensively in Afghanistan.
Variants
Versions include the two-seat Su-25UB trainer, the navalised Su-25UTG, the upgraded Su-25SM and the Georgian-built Su-25KM Scorpion. Numerous operators have fielded modernised variants.
Where you'll see it
Widely exported and still in heavy use in current conflicts, the Su-25 is a front-line Russian and allied attack aircraft not seen in UK skies. It remains one of the most recognisable dedicated ground-attack jets.
Related aircraft
- Sukhoi Su-17M3
- Su-27
- Sukhoi Su-17M2
- Sukhoi Su-20
- Hawker Siddeley TAV-8A Harrier
- MiG-31
- Mitsubishi F-1
- Aermacchi MB-339A
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