MOSCOW. Jan 6 (Interfax-AVN) - Aircraft repair plant No. 121, based in Kubinka outside Moscow, is completing ground tests of the third upgraded SU-25SM Frogfoot attack aircraft prototype.
"The third upgraded SU-25SM is to make its maiden flight in late January - early February," a source in the Russian defense industry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Tuesday.
According to him, the research and development, funded by the Russian Defense Ministry, envisions upgrading three attack aircraft this year: namely, two combat SU-25s, and an SU-25UB combat training two-seater, which is to become an SU-25UBT.
The source noted that the aircraft upgraded featured totally new avionics and new weapon control systems, which allowed the SU- 25 combat efficiency to be considerably increased. For instance, accuracy of fire has increased two- to three-fold, while accuracy of navigation has increased ten-fold due to employment of fast new-generation computers, fitted on the Bars sight and navigation system.
The upgraded attack aircraft are equipped with the Pastel reconnaissance radar, and the SUO-39 weapons control system, which enable the aircraft to employ new types of munitions, including laser- and TV-guided ones.
The source said that the Sukhoi Company had worked out a number of proposals on upgrading SU-25 attack aircraft in service with foreign air forces. At the present time a total of about 500 SU-25s are operated abroad.