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At the height of the Cold War, the world's two superpowers created a new pair of fighter jets, similar in strength and purpose. One was the venerable U.S. A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known affectionately as the Warthog. Its Soviet cousin, originally introduced in 1981, was the Sukhoi Su-25 Grach. While the Soviet callsign "Grach" means "tower", the USSR's NATO rival gave the Su-25 a meaningless name: "Frogfoot".
Su 25 Fighter
The A-10 became an iconic aircraft that could turn the tide of battle with the explosive fire of its 30mm GAU-8 cannons, and it still fights in the skies of Iraq and Syria today. But make no mistake: its Russian counterpart is also a formidable beast.
Russian Su 25 Fighter Jet Shot Down In Syria, Pilot Killed
During World War II, the Soviet Air Force pioneered close air support tactics with powerful ground attack aircraft such as the Ilyushin Il-2. The Soviets developed the propeller-powered Ilyushin Il-2 'Sturmovik' as a heavily armed 'flying tank' that could exact a heavy price by blowing up Nazi tanks with cannons, rockets and bombs. These aircraft were used extensively during the great tank battle at Kursk in 1943, where they had a terrible psychological effect and destroyed many German vehicles.
However, in the late 1960s, the Soviets were in desperate need of a dedicated ground attack aircraft to replace the Sukhoi Su-7B, a low-profile fighter designed for air-to-air warfare. Thus, in 1969 Sukhoi started production of the T8, making its first flight as the Su-25 six years later. The Frogfoot was designed to take out enemy armored vehicles if the Cold War suddenly broke out, and these aerial threats were to wreak havoc on Germany's Northern Front, where major tank battles would be fought.
The 1970s was when the United States Air Force began its AX Close Air Support Aircraft program that would produce the Warthog. The USSR was watching the US. up close, and evidence of this eagle-eyed vision is seen in Sukhoi itself. The Russian aircraft shares a number of features with the A-10, including powerful large guns for taking down armored vehicles, an enclosed cockpit and 11 hardpoints for mounting a variety of weapons. And the differences, like the more familiar Frogfoot shape, also point to other design cues - in this case, from the A-10's competitor, the Northrop YA-9.
Frogfoot is smaller, faster and faster than 14,900 lb. up to 47, 090 lb. A-10. Its two turbojet engines give the plane a top speed of 606 mph. Altoing
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During testing, the T8 beat the Ilyushin Il-102 to become Russia's new attack aircraft. Designated the Su-25, it began production in 1978. The following year, Soviet Defense Minister Dmitry Ustinov questioned why the Air Force was testing the aircraft in Russia when "there is an adequate test range with strong environmental conditions and real combat... This ideal testing ground was Afghanistan, where the Soviet Union supported the Communist government of Babrak Karmal against the Mujahideen rebels.
Two Su-25 prototypes underwent real combat testing in the early days of the Soviet-Afghan war. In just a few weeks, Frogfoot began to prove himself. As soon as the Su-25 entered service, the USSR sent 50 more Frogfoots to support troops during the eight-year war. Soviet Frogfoot pilots flew around 60,000 sorties, carrying bombs, missiles and unguided rockets.
Frogfoot's most impressive weapon, however, was the 30 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-2 autocannon, capable of firing 2,500 to 3,000 rounds per minute. The cannon weighs much less than the formidable A-10 machine gun. The Su-25 has a nose-mounted laser rangefinder that helps find the target, which allows the explosive and depleted uranium weapons guns to find their target. For the disappointing campaign in Afghanistan, the Su-25 was sometimes equipped with winged 23mm cannons that wreaked havoc on the battlefield.
The Su-25's ability to survive the plane's wreckage was unmatched by other Soviet aircraft. That's because, like the A-10, the Frogfoot has a welded titanium armor compartment - up to 25mm thick in places - that wraps around the underside of the cockpit to protect the operator from anti-aircraft fire.
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The problem was that the two Frogfoot engines were too close together. Although they could continue to operate voluntarily if one was damaged, fire from the damaged engine would quickly doom the other. Although the steel "firewall" and anti-fire system improved things, the Su-25 was unable to turn the tide of the war as CIA-supplied Stinger missiles aided the Afghan fighters.
However, there is no doubt that the aircraft emerged as a great addition to the Soviet Air Force. Over the next few years, it would be adopted by over a dozen countries and would become embroiled in conflicts in Central Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East for years to come.
Over a thousand Su-25s have been built since 1978, along with many variants. Modern Su-25s have impressive countermeasures, including a missile approach warning system, chaff and flare launchers, and an infrared jammer to confuse enemy missiles. Since the plane can provide power, countries like Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Ethiopia and many former Soviet countries also use Frogfoot.
During the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, the Iraqi Air Force became the first country outside the Warsaw Pact to use the Su-25. Iraqi Frogfoots performed well against Iranian artillery and only one of approximately 70 jets was destroyed by Iranian air defenses. However, the Su-25 would not fare well in the Persian Gulf War. The Iraqi Frogfoot group suffered heavy losses not in the air but on the ground, and a strong US-led coalition air force blew up the planes before they could take off. The two Iraqi Frogfoots that successfully took off were beached and destroyed by F-15Cs.
What We Know About The Russian Su 25 That Was Shot Down Over Syria
Russian Frogfoots saw action again during the Chechen Wars of the 1990s and during the Russo-Georgian War of 2008. This time both sides used Su-25s to provide air support during the war in South Ossetia. Despite Russian success, Georgian anti-aircraft defenses destroyed three Russian Su-25s. This accelerated efforts to upgrade Russia's Su-25 fleet.
Since the end of 2015, the last Russian Su-25SMs are operating in Syria during the Russian military intervention. Just as USAF A-10s are supporting the Iraqi army, Russia's Frogfoots are supporting close air operations against ISIS and rebel groups opposing the Assad regime. Russian news agencies report that the Su-25s dropped more than 6,000 bombs.
But in April 2016, Russia withdrew its Su-25s from Syria and replaced them with Mi-28 helicopters. These helicopters have an important advantage over the missile lock systems onboard the Su-25, which only the Su-25 had. In October 2016, it was first reported that Su-25SM3s, upgraded with "missile jamming" systems, were once again in Syria - presumably as "another suitable test site".
Russia built the last Su-25 in 1992. However, a quarter of a century later, the idea of restarting the program continues. Meanwhile, the US Air Force scrambled to retire the Warthog, despite its success and popularity, to reduce the cost of the new F-35 (another military program at stake).
Su 25 Vs A 10: Here's Why The Frogfoot Might Be Better Suited Than The Warthog For Cas
But the Frogfoot's future is clear - at least in the short term - with continued work on the Su-25SM program, which is expected to continue through 2020. Russian forces can look forward to Su-25 support for a few more years.
While the A-10 may have a bigger gun, a bigger fuel tank and a wider range of weapons, the Frogfoot is smaller, simpler and cheaper, lighter, faster and more powerful. After nearly 40 years in service, none of these Cold War rivals are still being manufactured.
Matthew Moss is a British historian and author specializing in small arms development, military history and current security issues. He has written for various US and UK publications and runs www.historicalfirearms.info, a blog that explores the history, development and use of firearms.
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