Summary and Most Important 3 Points: The Su-25 "Frogfoot," a Soviet-era ground-attack aircraft developed by Sukhoi, was designed to provide close air support during the Cold War, akin to the U.S. A-10 Thunderbolt II.

-Equipped with twin R-95Sh turbojets, advanced avionics, and a range of missiles, the Su-25 proved effective in various conflicts, including the Soviet-Afghan War.

Bottomline: Despite its vulnerabilities, the Frogfoot has been widely exported and remains in service today, with around 250 units still operated by the Russian Air Force and other former Soviet states.

As the race to develop air superiority fighters skyrocketed during the Cold War, Soviet engineers produced the Su-25 Grach fighter platform.

Designated by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as “Frogfoot,” the subsonic twin-engine jet aircraft was designed in the USSR by manufacturer Sukhoi.

The history of the Su-25 Frogfoot:

The USSR’s prioritization of developing an advanced airframe followed America’s endeavor to create its A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog” tank-busting jet. Since the Soviet’s Su-7, Su-17, Mig-21 and MiG-23 were not designed for close air support of the army, a different airframe was necessary.

In the 1960s, the Soviet Air Force announced a competition in order to secure its next-generation close-support airframe. Sukhoi’s T-8 prototype was ultimately selected, culminating in the introduction of the Su-25 fighter. Over the next decade, the ground-attack airframe would embark on its maiden flight following a half-decade long trial period.

Specs & capabilities:

While the Frogfoot and A-10 can be compared, the Soviet fighter is quicker and lighter than its near-peer. The earliest Su-25 variants were fitted with two R-95Sh non-afterburning turbojets on both sides of the rear fuselage.

Although the base variant does not possess TV guidance, it is equipped with a distinctive rangefinder that is considered to be an advanced avionics system. The fighter also features a DISS-7 doppler radar, which enables the airframe to fly at night. The platform’s electronic warfare suite also includes a Gardeniya radar jammer and an SPO-15 Sirena-3 radar warning receiver.

According to Air Force Technology, the Su-25 can climb at a rate of 58m/s. “The maximum speed of the aircraft is 950km/h. The combat radius and ferry range of the aircraft are 375km and 7,500km respectively. The normal range of the Su-25 is 750km, while its service ceiling is 7,000m. The take-off and landing roll of the Su-25 are 750m and 600m respectively. The aircraft weighs around 10,740kg and its maximum take-off weight is 17,600kg.”

In terms of armaments, the Frogfoot is well endowed. Each airframe is able to carry a range of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapon systems, including Kh-23, Kh-25ML, and R-3D missiles. In addition to these missiles, the fighter is also fitted with the 30m AO-17A twin-barrel gun, which is positioned in the underside of the fuselage.

The shortcomings of the Frogfoots became evident during the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s. The American-made Stinger missiles launched by the Afghan fighters were easily able to shoot down many of the Su-25s. Despite the platform’s vulnerabilities, it was still exported widely during this decade. In fact, the Su-25 also saw combat during the Iran-Iraq War and the subsequent Abkhazia War.

Who flies the Su-25 Frogfoot today?

Today, the Russian Air Force operates roughly 250 Su-25s of all variants.

Over its decades in service, the Su-25 Frogfoot has undergone several overhauls to retain an edge over competitor airframes. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, many former eastern blocs gained Su-25 regiments, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and others.

About the Author: Maya Carlin

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. 

All images are Creative Commons.