MOSCOW. June 17 (Interfax-AVN) - The Kubinka aircraft overhaul plant in the Moscow region has taken up serial modernization of the SU-25 Frogfoot attack aircraft in service with the Russian Air Force.
"The first three SU-25s arrived at the Kubinka plant to undergo overhaul and modernization," Vladimir Babak, chief designer of the Shturmoviki Sukhogo scientific and production company, told Interfax-Military News Agency on Thursday.
He recalled that the first modernized SU-25 was assembled back in March 2002. "Currently, the third experimental SU-25SM modernized attack aircraft is ready to perform its maiden flight, which is scheduled for the near future," he added.
According to Babak, the Kubinka plant uses serial modernization manuals in its work.
The modernized attack aircraft have entirely new avionics and some of the weapons control systems. For instance, its Bars sighting and navigating system was equipped with a new-generation high-speed computer, which allows a 2-3-time increase in accuracy of weapons and a 10-time more accurate navigation. The aircraft also boasts the in-built Pastel radio reconnaissance systems, and the SUO-39 weapons control system to enable it using new ammunitions.
The SU-25SM aircraft received precision laser-guided missiles into its arsenal. Its weapons suite will become wider at the expense of other TV-guided and laser-guided weapons.
About 500 SU-25s are in service with 16 countries all over the world. Therefore, there is a program for modernizing the aircraft for foreign customers.