Supersonic front-line bomber Su-24

Rarely has an aircraft undergone more extensive design changes during the design process than the Su-24. The customer (the USSR Ministry of Defense) constantly required higher and higher characteristics of this front-line bomber, and aircraft designers had to revise several times not only private technical solutions, but also the general conceptual scheme. The result exceeded expectations: the device turned out to be a success and, having outlived its time, turned out to be in demand even in the third millennium.

On pure enthusiasm

In the fifties, the whole world found itself in the grip of “rocket hysteria.” It seemed to military theorists that aircraft as a striking force, if not completely outdated, had at least lost their decisive importance in modern combat. These conclusions fully applied to attack aircraft. However, not everyone shared this extremely bold point of view, and the development of attack aircraft still continued. As part of saving budget funds, the Sukhoi Design Bureau was engaged in adapting the very successful Su-7 aircraft to give it the ability to solve the combat mission of supporting ground troops in difficult weather conditions. Actually, under the guise of modification work, the team was actually creating a completely new car, and the version of improving the old one was invented for party officials who imposed their general line on the “technicians.” Various layout options were considered, taking into account the possibility of placing complex electronics, without which a modern attack aircraft could not become a formidable force.

Armament

A single-barrel 30 mm cannon of the GSh-301 type with 180 rounds of ammunition is installed in the wing and fuselage fairing. The ammunition boxes are located inside the armored cockpit.

The main armament of the Su-34 bomber is located on 12 suspension points installed under the fuselage, engine nacelles and cantilever parts of the wings. The total load weight can reach 8000 kg (up to 12000 kg in overload with a flight range of 1000 km).

There are several options for placing missile weapons on board the Su-34 aircraft:

• 8 missiles of the R-27 type, installed on the fuselage and wing consoles;
• 8 medium-range missiles of the R-77 type, placed on consoles;
• 6 short-range missiles of the R-73 type, mounted on the wings.

High speed and modern radar equipment allow the Su-34 aircraft to fight any targets. To carry out precision strikes against ground- and surface-based targets located at distances of up to 250 km, the following combinations of aircraft weapons are used:

• Up to three units of a tactical missile system of the X-59M type, equipped with a television guidance system;
• 6 air-to-ground missiles of the Kh-29, Kh-25M or S-25L types;
• Up to six missiles designed to combat enemy ships (range from 70 to 250 km);
• Six X-31 model missiles designed to destroy radar stations;
• Three guided bombs, weighing 1500 kg each;
• Six guided 500 kg bombs;
• Four torpedoes;
• For reconnaissance, it is possible to suspend a container containing 70 sonar buoys;
• 16 high-explosive bombs weighing 500 kg, or 36 bombs weighing 250 kg, or 48 bombs weighing 100 kg.

To detect targets, the Su-34 uses a head radar station, which is capable of detecting large ground targets at distances of at least 200 km.

The detection range of air targets ranges from 90 km (fighter type vehicle) to 250 km (large transport aircraft). The radar allows simultaneous observation of 10 targets and firing at four of them.

A second radar is installed at the rear of the Su-34 fuselage, warning of an attack from behind and allowing for directed missile launches in the direction of the rear hemisphere. The range of the rear radar is small and does not exceed 12...15 km.

Creative search

The result of creative torment was first the Su-15, equipped with the Orion all-weather navigation system. But the military’s demands became more and more stringent; they now needed the attack aircraft to be able to take off from a dirt runway, and a short one at that. The search for an optimal solution continued; additional engines were added to the design, lifting the aircraft at the moment of takeoff. But all this was not the same. O. S. Samoilovich, the project manager, puzzled over the solution to this rebus. And the hint came, oddly enough, from a potential enemy.

It was in 1964, Khrushchev had recently been removed, and the new leadership of the country did not think so romantically, but pragmatically. The design of combat aircraft has again received full funding. Designer Samoilovich flew to Paris for an aerospace exhibition. He saw something interesting there.

Piston fighter-bombers

The first units of bomber fighters were built back in the era of piston propeller engines, the most famous of which left a significant mark on the history of aviation development:

1. Spitfire.
2. Messerschmitt Bf.110 and Me.210.
3. De Havilland Mosquito.
4. Bristol Blenheim.

The Soviet Yak-9 could be added to this list, but it was mainly used as a fighter. According to the initial thoughts of the designers, piston fighter-bombers were to be used as universal aircraft capable of destroying ground and air enemies. Unlike theory, practice was more deplorable. Both British and German aircraft coped well with enemy transport aircraft, bombers and mobile ground targets, but were significantly inferior to single-engine fighters.

In addition, they were inferior to attack aircraft and bombers in their ability to destroy or damage well-fortified ground targets - factories, bridges, large combat and transport ships. However, fighter-bombers were an excellent addition to bomber formations. They were used as escort fighters.

American in Paris

They look very similar - the American F-111 and our Su-24. Photos, characteristics and combat capabilities, and most importantly, the purpose of these two aircraft are very similar. In a sense, Samoilovich allowed direct borrowing of the general layout scheme, however, it was completely justified. proudly exhibited her brainchild at the international salon in Le Bourget. Anyone could see the plane, but the chief designer did not immediately decide to come close to it. Then he took his FED and at that moment he realized what the Su-24 would be like. Photos of the F-111 aircraft in Moscow were examined very carefully, engineers admired the skill of their rivals and commented on what they saw.

Of course, there can be no question that the design was “stolen” from the Americans. He knows how to keep secrets, and if the Soviet side gained access to them, it happened much later. In the meantime, O. S. Samoilovich’s appearance was enough. As the ancient Romans wrote on their drawings in such cases, “enough is enough for the smart.”

General scheme

Additional lifting engines, which reduce the take-off run of the vehicle, were considered a wrong decision. They work only in the first seconds, and the plane must carry them all the time. Another thing is the variable-sweep wing; its advantages can be used throughout the combat mission, transferring the attack aircraft to different speed modes.

At the same time, some difficulties arose with the weapons that the Su-24 was supposed to carry on external slings. The bomber automatically directs the pylons of missiles and bombs parallel to the course vector - this required a special matching electromechanical system. A spacious compartment for two radar antennas made it possible to accommodate a powerful BREA, which was not available in previous models of front-line support aircraft from the Sukhoi Design Bureau. But the main difficulties were ahead.

Flat flight

The purpose of a tactical bomber is to cause damage to the enemy in a wide (up to 800 km) front-line zone. To realize this task, you need to have the technical ability to overcome air defense lines, which, accordingly, will predictably provide maximum countermeasures. In the sixties, radars were not as sophisticated as they are today, and targets at low altitudes were not always “seen.” The same applied to onboard radars, which could not distinguish objects against the background of the earth. The American F-111 flew at an extremely low altitude, skirting the terrain. The same task was set for the designers of the Su-24. At the same time, the speed characteristics were not reduced; a confident “supersonic sound” was required even during flat flight.

The system for maintaining safe obstacle avoidance operates in two modes - manual and automatic. Considering the elemental base of the 60s (mainly lamps), one can only admire this achievement.

Variable sweep

The Su-24 was the answer to the challenge of the time. In the early 1960s, revolutionary changes in military affairs took place in the world. The advent of guided missile weapons radically changed views on combat aviation and the tactics of its use. Anti-aircraft missiles “drove away” fighters and bombers from high and medium altitudes.

The main Soviet attack aircraft at that time, the Su-7B, was no longer suitable for the military. What was needed was a fundamentally new vehicle, capable of overcoming air defenses at supersonic speeds and extremely low altitudes. The most important requirement was the all-weather capability of the new aircraft, that is, the ability to operate regardless of the weather and time of day. The Sukhoi Design Bureau took on the solution to this problem. Su-34 recognized as the best attack aircraft in the world

The problem of stable supersonic flight at low altitudes was solved by using a high-sweep wing. But this design led to high takeoff and landing speeds, requiring perfectly straight and long runways. And a front-line bomber must operate from dilapidated and unpaved airfields.

The designers made a “knight’s move.” The aircraft, following the example of the then-newest American tactical bomber F-111, used a variable-sweep wing. Depending on the flight mode on the Su-24, the wing consoles are installed in one of four positions: 16 degrees - during takeoff and landing, 35 - in subsonic cruising flight, 45 - during combat maneuvering and 69 degrees - when flying at transonic and supersonic speeds .

Fuel consumption and combat radius

In those early years, the issue of fuel economy was not pressing. However, kerosene consumption affected a very important indicator - range. To increase it, a revolutionary solution was required - the transition to economical dual-circuit engines. In afterburner mode, they developed less thrust than conventional turbofans, but, as experience has shown, a tactical bomber practically does not need the ability to sharply increase speed. The design bureau of Lyulka and Tumansky (Saturn) took up the design of special engines. They were intended exclusively for the Su-24. The combat radius of the aircraft has increased significantly - it exceeded half a thousand kilometers.

Combat service

Production of the Su-24 ended in 1993. Over the entire period, the Novosibirsk Aviation Plant produced about 1,400 aircraft of this type in various modifications. Will Russia maintain air supremacy?

In 2007, the entire Russian Su-24 fleet began to be modernized to the Su-24M2 version, which received the latest electronic equipment based on solid-state digital electronics and is capable of using the entire complex of guided weapons developed for the new generation aircraft - the Su-34.

The Swordsman has fought through numerous military conflicts, from Afghanistan to Syria, and has earned a reputation as a reliable and lethal combat vehicle.

“The Su-24 poses potentially the greatest threat to European states among all combat aircraft in service with the front-line aviation of the USSR Air Force. It has excellent characteristics in terms of combat load/range and is capable of carrying out an invasion while following the terrain,” wrote the English magazine Air international during the Cold War.

Let's sit next to each other...

Almost all tactical bombers and attack aircraft of the Second World War and subsequent years had a tandem crew arrangement. To seat the pilot, navigator or weapons systems operator one after the other, the designers were motivated by the desire to reduce the cross-section of the fuselage. This reduced aerodynamic drag. In addition, the size of the target also mattered, from the point of view of anti-aircraft artillery, during a frontal attack. The real revelation was placing two crew members next to each other in the American F-111. O. S. Samoilovich decided to apply this scheme for the Su-24. The photo of the cockpit shows that the navigator also has a control stick, although it is somewhat smaller than the pilot’s. Safety considerations also dictated the special screen that separated the seats during ejection, but it later turned out that the risk of injury to the pilot remaining on the plane was minimal. The exchange of information between the pilot and navigator has become much easier, and a “feeling of comradeship” has appeared.

Interesting Facts

One of the first pre-production copies of the Su-34 made a non-stop flight along the Moscow-Sakhalin route with several in-flight refuelings, which confirmed the possibility of performing long flights on this type of aircraft.

There is a passage between the seats to accommodate the Su-34 crew, which can be used as a place to sleep and rest. Behind the seats there is free space sufficient to accommodate full-length crew members.

In this case, instrument readings are displayed on the glazing of the canopy, which allows you to monitor them from the rear of the cabin.

There is a bathroom at the rear of the cabin. The Su-34 is depicted on a souvenir silver coin with a denomination of one ruble, issued by the Bank of Russia in the series “Armed Forces of the Russian Federation”. The coin was released in a limited edition (5 thousand pieces) in 2009.

In the spring of 2016, a pair of Su-34s were used to clear ice jams on the Northern Dvina River. Air bombs weighing 250 kg were used to destroy the ice.

Engine and titanium fires

The technical characteristics of the Su-24 were significantly influenced by the choice of engine. The first copies were equipped with “product No. 85,” that is, the AL-21F jet turbine, the compressor of which used titanium parts. This material is very durable and lightweight, but when designing the engine, the designers did not take into account some of its features. Heating of the turbine blades led to their elongation, and then their peripheral edges touching the housing. This phenomenon, called a “titanium fire,” led to almost instantaneous combustion of the entire aircraft, but it was not immediately possible to determine the cause.

Ultimately, after several attempts to adapt other production engines, the design bureau decided to fine-tune the AL-21F, which is currently in use.

Engines

The power plant used on Su-34 aircraft is two AL-31F turbojet engines with a dual-circuit design. This scheme made it possible to increase the operating parameters of the engine and reduce specific fuel consumption.

In the first circuit of the engine, two compressor stages and two turbines are installed on one shaft. Between the compressor and the turbine there is a combustion chamber.

The second circuit is a shell built around the body of the first circuit. Using an axial fan, atmospheric air is forced into the gap between the circuits, which is supplied to the afterburner located behind the primary circuit turbine.

Depending on the modification, the engines of the AL-31F family are capable of developing thrust from 12,800 to 14,500 kgf. Maximum thrust is achieved in extreme boost modes and can not be maintained for long.

On board the Su-34 bomber there is an autonomous unit driven by a small gas turbine engine. This system is used to start main engines when operating from field airfields.

Hard tests

The prototype, designated T6-1, took its first flight in 1967 by test pilot BC Ilyushin, the son of the famous aircraft designer. The test was successful, but during the modifications serious design flaws were identified. The tests were long and difficult, during which ten cars crashed (7 of them were due to errors by the engine developers). In just one day in 1973 (August 28), the design bureau lost two prototypes. Perhaps, if the project had been less important for the country's defense, it would have been closed after so many failures. But O.S. Samoilovich believed in the Su-24 aircraft, the characteristics of which promised to be excellent. And the tests continued, as did work to eliminate the identified design flaws.

Fuel system

The fuel supply on board the Su-34 aircraft is located in several fuel tanks located in the fuselage, wing section and console parts of the wings. The number of tanks and their exact location differs according to data from various sources.

All tanks are interconnected by a pipeline system with transfer pumps. This allows fuel to be produced evenly during the flight, maintaining the aircraft's alignment within specified limits.

Kerosene is taken into the fuel supply equipment of engines from a special supply tank. The inner surface of all tanks is covered with a protector based on a polyurethane foam mixture.

If the tank of a Su-34 is punctured with such protection, the formation of fuel-air mixtures, which could lead to a fire on board, is prevented.

To increase the range, it is possible to install jettisonable fuel tanks on external mounts. The maximum volume of hanging tanks is up to 3000 l.

The role of a refueling tanker can be an Il-78 type vehicle or another Su-34 aircraft equipped with a special suspended unit for refueling. Refueling can be done at night by illuminating the hose with two headlights located in the bow.

Impact bomb power

Unlike the American F-111, the aircraft is not equipped with bomb bays; all types of weapons are located on eight pylons, four of which are ventral. Two powerful engines provide the ability to carry both conventional and special (nuclear or chemical) ammunition, including high power. Thus, the suspensions on the fixed part of the wing are designed for bombs weighing half a ton. The nature of the Su-24's weapons is varied. The combat load with a total weight of up to eight tons can consist of unguided or adjustable bombs (including laser-guided ones), rocket launchers, containers or cassettes. To support such a wide range, the pylons are equipped with transition devices and additional beams. But the Su-24 can deliver attacks not only with bombs: this bomber can also be called a missile carrier.

Terrain following

Another “drying” innovation was the flight mode with automatic contour following at low altitudes. The bomber rushes over the ground at great speed, and the onboard system, based on data from the special Relief radar, gives commands to climb in front of an obstacle or descend on a flat area. This flight mode was not suitable for everyone, so only pilots with strong nerves served and still serve on the Su-24.

All-weather capability on the new vehicle was then achieved thanks to the highly sophisticated Puma sighting and navigation system (PNS). It includes 13 subsystems: the forward-looking pulse-Doppler radar “Orion-A”, the radar command line “Delta VMT-6” for the use of guided missiles, the direction finder “Filin-N”, etc. “Puma” provided simply fantastic functionality at that time , allowing you to fly and strike with minimal visibility.

For the first time in Russian aviation, the pilot and navigator of a front-line strike aircraft were placed side by side in the cockpit, shoulder to shoulder

Pilots could now communicate not only via radio, but also with gestures and glances, which is very important in a combat situation, where every second counts

The bomber's crew consists of two people - a pilot and a navigator. The length of the aircraft is 22.67 meters, height is 5.92 meters, wingspan is 17.64 meters. Maximum take-off weight - 39.7 tons. The maximum flight speed is 1.7 thousand kilometers per hour. The practical ceiling is 11 thousand meters. The ferry range is 3 thousand kilometers, the combat radius is 600 kilometers. Combat load - up to 7 tons.

The Su-24 became the first Soviet aircraft to use the ejection system with K-36D seats, which ensured the rescue of the crew in almost all flight modes and at any altitude, including zero.

In 1975, in one of the bomber air regiments, the Su-24 crew was preparing for a flight. The command was given to start the engines. And it so happened that the navigator’s control stick caught on the pin of the ejection system and pulled it out. The unsuspecting pilot was thrown from the ground by the ejection seat into the air. The parachute opened at the normal altitude and he landed safely nearby.

The crew of the aircraft, who tested the rescue system against their will, received personalized gold watches from the general designer of the design bureau, Pavel Sukhoi, and personalized protective helmets from the chief designer of the ejection seats, Guy Severin.

Rockets

The task of suppressing the air defense of a potential enemy is inextricably linked with the detection and destruction of radar posts, primarily the emitter-receiver antennas. In America, the Shpike anti-radar missile (1963) was developed for this purpose, the guidance system of which is focused on intense high-frequency radar emissions. A similar Kh-28 projectile was designed in the USSR to equip the weapon system of the Su-24 aircraft. The combat capabilities of this ammunition are revealed most widely during a paired flight of two bombers, the first of which “detected” the locators with the Filin system, and the second delivered a direct strike, already knowing the parameters of the carrier frequencies of the emitters. Kh-23 guided missiles are guided by radio command.

There are many more options for arming the Su-24 missiles. Photos of an aircraft equipped with NURS cassettes or R-60 (“air-to-air”) missiles prove the versatility of the bomber’s possible use, including against air targets. Of course, it cannot be called a full-fledged interceptor, but it also cannot be considered defenseless in the sky.

The designers did not forget about artillery weapons. The Su-24 is equipped with a 23mm six-barrel GSh-6-23M cannon (built-in). It is possible to quickly increase firepower by installing suspended rapid-fire artillery mounts (three more) on external hardpoints.

Performance characteristics of the Su-25K

Su-25 crew

— 1 pilot

Dimensions of the Su-25

— Length: 15.36 m (with PVD) — Wing span: 14.36 m — Height: 4.8 m — Wing area: 30.1 m² — Wing aspect ratio: 6 — Wing taper ratio: 3.38 — Angle leading edge sweep: 20° — Wing transverse V: −2.5° — Chassis base: 3.57 m — Chassis track: 2.51 m

Su-25 weight

— Empty weight: 9315 kg — Curb weight: 11 600 kg — Normal take-off weight: 14 600 kg — Maximum take-off weight: 17 600 kg — Fuel weight in internal tanks: 3000 kg

Weight of armor protection : 595 kg - canopy: 48.5 kg windshield (armored glass) - cockpit: 424.9 kg - fuel and oil systems: 121.6 kg - Tread weight: 160 kg

Su-25 engine

— Power plant: 2 × R-95Sh turbojet engine — Thrust: 2 × 4100 kgf (40.2 kN)

Su-25 speed

— Maximum speed: 950 km/h (with normal combat load) — Cruising speed: 750 km/h — Landing speed: 210 km/h

Practical range of the Su-25

(with normal combat load) - at altitude: without PTB: 640 km - at altitude: with 2× PTB-800: 950 km - at altitude: with 4× PTB-800: 1250 km - on the ground: without PTB: 495 km - near the ground: with 2× PTB-800: 620 km - near the ground: with 4× PTB-800: 750 km

Ferry range of the Su-25

— 1950 km

Practical ceiling of the Su-25

— 7000 m

— Combat altitude with maximum combat load: 5000 m — Turning radius: 680 m (with normal combat load of 1500 m at 555 km/h) — Climbing rate: 60 m/s (at the ground with a load of 1000 kg) — Load on wing: 485 kg/m² (at normal take-off weight) - Thrust-to-weight ratio: 0.56 / 0.466 (at normal/max take-off weight)

Su-25 take-off run

— on a concrete runway 550 m; on a dirt runway 600 m

Run length of the Su-25

— (without a braking parachute) on a concrete runway 600 m; on a dirt runway: 700 m

Maximum overload of Su-25

— with normal combat load + 6.5g; with maximum combat load: + 5.2g

Armament of the Su-25

— Small arms and cannon: double-barreled 30 mm GSh-30-2 cannon with 250 rounds of ammunition — Suspension points: 10

Combat load

- normal: 1400 kg (4× FAB-250 + 2× R-60 + gun ammunition) - maximum: 4400 kg

Guided missiles

- air-to-air missiles: 2 × R-60 (AA-8) - air-to-surface missiles: 4 × Kh-25ML or Kh-25MLP or S-25L or 2 × Kh-29L

Unguided rockets

- 256 (8 × 32) × 57 mm S-5 in UB-32 blocks or - 160 (8 × 20) × 80 mm S-8 in B-8 blocks or - 40 (8 × 5) × 122 mm S- 13 in blocks B-13 or - 8 × 240 mm S-24 or 266 mm S-25

Bombs

- free-falling and adjustable for various purposes, bomb clusters - 8 × 500 kg (FAB-500, RBK-500, etc.) or - 8 × 250 kg (FAB-250, RBK-250, etc.) or - 8 or 32 × 100 kg or - 8 × KMGU-2 containers

Shooting and cannon containers

- 4 × SPPU-22-1 with a double-barreled 23-mm GSh-23 cannon 260 shells deflected in a vertical plane, SPPU-30 and SPPU-687 with 30-mm GSh-30 cannons, and others.

Su-25s damaged by MANPADS missiles in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict in 2008

Product "44"

Any successful machine is doomed to a long life, accompanied by attempts to improve its design. This happened with the Su-24 aircraft. His characteristics, from the point of view of the leaders of the USSR Ministry of Defense, needed correction. Particularly pressing was the task of improving avionics and the possibility of increasing the mass of the combat load. The new modification, which was called “product 44” at the Novosibirsk Aviation Plant since 1979, began to arrive in military units in 1981 under the code Su-24M. The model was officially put into service in 1983. It turned out to be heavier than the prototype, but despite a slight decrease in flight data, it retained the amazing maneuverability characteristic of the “pure” Su-24. The characteristics allow it to even perform aerobatic maneuvers, which is a rare feature for a front-line bomber.

An important innovation was the possibility of in-flight refueling. The pilots of the early eighties had to get used to it, having worked out the technique of smoothly approaching the cone of the tanker hose, but the result justified the effort. The radius of combat use now covered all of Europe (when taking off from WGV airfields) and a significant part of Asia.

Su-25 "Rook" or "Flying Tank"

“1” Introduction The first experience of modern civil war was accumulated, of course, in Afghanistan. And he immediately showed the insufficient effectiveness of aviation. In addition to the unpreparedness of the pilots and shortcomings in tactics, the aircraft themselves were poorly suited to the nature of counterinsurgency warfare. Supersonic fighter-bombers, created for the European theater of operations, turned out to be unable to turn around in mountain gorges, and their complex sighting and navigation equipment was practically useless when searching for an unobtrusive enemy. The capabilities of the aircraft remained unclaimed, and the effectiveness of their strikes was low.

The only suitable vehicle was the Su-25 attack aircraft - maneuverable, easy to control, well armed and protected. Su-25 (NATO codification: Frogfoot) is a Soviet-Russian armored subsonic attack aircraft. Designed for direct support of ground forces over the battlefield day and night with visual visibility of the target, as well as the destruction of objects with given coordinates around the clock in any weather conditions. In the Russian troops he received the nickname “Rook”.

"2" History of creation

At the end of the 60s. It became clear that the Su-7B, MiG-19, MiG-21 and Yak-28 aircraft do not provide effective destruction of small ground targets on the battlefield, and the lack of armor for the flight deck and important components makes them vulnerable to small arms fire and small-caliber artillery.

In March 1968, senior lecturer at the Air Force Academy. NOT. Zhukovsky I. Savchenko proposed that specialists from the Sukhoi Design Bureau jointly develop a project for a new ground force support aircraft. The initiative group (O.S. Samoilovich, D.N. Gorbachev, V.M. Lebedev, Yu.V. Ivashechkin and A. Monakhov) developed a battlefield aircraft (SPB) and, after determining its general appearance, presented the project to P.O. Sukhoi, who approved it under the name T-8. In March 1969, a competition was held to develop a prototype attack aircraft with the participation of the design bureau. A.I. Mikoyan and A.S. Yakovlev (proposed modification projects for the MiG-21 and Yak-28), S.V. Ilyushin and P.O. Sukhoi (new projects for the Il-102 and T-8). The victory was won by the T-8 project, which had a more advanced sighting system and smaller dimensions and weight compared to the Il-102. The project envisaged the development of an attack aircraft that was easy to manufacture and unpretentious in maintenance, designed to be operated by minimally trained flight and ground personnel with a short preparation time for departure using an airmobile ground service complex, which ensured autonomous basing of the attack aircraft on poorly equipped unpaved airfields.

The development of a preliminary design for an aircraft for direct support of troops over the battlefield SPB (“Battlefield Aircraft”) began on the initiative of a teacher at the Yu.A. Gagarin Air Force Academy, I.V. Savchenko and OKB employees P.O. Sukhoi, O. S. Samoilovich, D.N. Gorbachev, V.M. Lebedev, Yu.V. Ivashechkin and A. Monakhov in March 1968. In May 1968, the design of the aircraft began at the P.O. Sukhoi Design Bureau under the name T-8 . The study of the aerodynamic design of the future attack aircraft began at TsAGI in 1968. The USSR Ministry of Defense, at the suggestion of the Minister of Defense A.A. Grechko, in March 1969 announced a competition for the design of a light attack aircraft, in which the Sukhoi Design Bureau (T-8), Yakovlev (Yak -25LSh), Mikoyan and Gurevich (MiG-21LSh) and Ilyushin (IL-42). The Air Force requirements for the competition were formulated. The competition was won by the T-8 and MiG-21LSh aircraft. Release of working drawings and preparation for the construction of a prototype aircraft - summer 1970. At the same time, the Air Force changed the requirements for maximum ground speed to 1200 km/h, which put the project in danger of complete reworking. By the end of 1971, it was possible to agree on a change in the requirements for maximum speed to 1000 km/h (0.82 M).

The design of the T-8 was resumed in January 1972 after P.O. Sukhoi approved the general design of the attack aircraft (01/06/1972) and signed an order to begin detailed design of the aircraft. M.P. Simonov was appointed project manager, Yu.V. Ivashechkin was appointed lead designer. Since August 1972, the chief designer of the T-8 is O.S. Samoilovich, the leading designer since December 25, 1972 is Yu.V. Ivashechkin (he is also the chief designer since October 6, 1974). The prototype of the aircraft was accepted by the commission in September and construction of the prototype began at the end of 1972. The T-8-1 prototype made its first flight at the LII airfield in Zhukovsky on February 22, 1975 (pilot - V.S. Ilyushin). The second prototype aircraft with some changes in design (T-8-2) entered testing in December 1975.

In the summer of 1976, the engines on the experimental aircraft were replaced with more powerful R-95Sh, and some design elements were changed (1978) - the updated prototypes were named T-8-1D and T-8-2D. In July 1976, the T-8 received the name “Su-25” and preparations began for serial production at the aircraft plant in Tbilisi (originally it was planned to launch production in Poland). Tactical and technical requirements for the Su-25 attack aircraft with the R-95Sh engine, modified avionics - similar to the T-8-1D type - were approved by the USSR Ministry of Defense only on March 9, 1977 and discussed from May 11 to May 24, 1977 at the mock-up commission .

Information about the aircraft and the code name RAM-J appeared in the West in 1977 according to space reconnaissance data (RAM = Ramenskoye (airfield), railway station near the LII airfield). The first production vehicle (T-8-3) was produced in Tbilisi in 1978 and made its first flight on June 18, 1979 (pilot - Yu.A. Egorov). State tests of the aircraft took place (first stage) from March to May 30, 1980 (completed in December 1980). The production of the two-seat Su-25UB/UT/UTG and the single-seat Su-39 was carried out at the aircraft plant in Ulan-Ude. In March 1981, an act on the completion of state tests of the aircraft was signed and it was recommended for adoption by the USSR Air Force. In April 1981, the aircraft began to enter combat units. Since June 1981, Su-25s have taken part in combat operations in Afghanistan. The Su-25 was officially put into service in 1987.

On January 6, 1972, the general design of the T-8 attack aircraft was approved and detailed design began under the leadership of M.P. Simonov (from August - O.S. Samoilovich), and from December 25, 1972 - Yu.V. Ivashechkin, who became the head of the topic on October 6, 1974. In May 1974, a decision was made to build two copies of the T-8 aircraft, in December the experienced attack aircraft was transported to the LII airfield, and on February 22, 1975, under the control of V.S. Ilyushin, it took off. In June 1976, a decision was made to launch the production of attack aircraft at an aircraft plant in Tbilisi. In March 1977, the tactical and technical requirements for the aircraft were approved and the Design Bureau presented the customer with a preliminary design of an aircraft with R-95Sh engines, a modified wing and a more advanced sighting and navigation system.

Officially, the aircraft was handed over for state testing in June 1978, the first flight was made on July 21, and flights under the state testing program began in September (V. Ilyushin, Yu. Egorov). By the beginning of state tests, a modified Su-17MZ sighting and navigation system was installed on the aircraft, which ensured the use of the most modern guided weapons, incl. missiles with a laser guidance system. The cannon container was replaced by a double-barreled 30 mm AO-17A cannon (GSh-2-30 series). The pre-production prototype of the first Tbilisi assembly, on which all the conceptual solutions of the attack aircraft project were implemented, took off on June 18, 1979.

In the winter of 1979-1980. The first stage of state tests was completed on the T-8-1D, T-8-3 and T-8-4 aircraft. After the successful use of the T-8-1D and T-8-3 aircraft in Afghanistan in April-June 1980, the Air Force leadership decided to count this as the second stage of state testing without flight studies of spin characteristics. The final flights of the test program took place at the Mary airfield in Central Asia; on December 30, 1980, it was officially completed, and in March 1981, a certificate of completion was signed with a recommendation to put the aircraft into operation. Due to the failure to comply with some points of the technical specifications, the Su-25 attack aircraft was put into service in 1987.

"3" Aerodynamic design

In terms of its aerodynamic configuration, the Su-25 attack aircraft is an aircraft made according to a normal aerodynamic configuration, with a high-mounted wing.

The aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft is tuned to obtain optimal performance at subsonic flight speeds.

The aircraft wing has a trapezoidal shape in plan, with a sweep angle along the leading edge of 20 degrees, with a constant relative profile thickness along the wing span. The aircraft wing has a plan projection area of ​​30.1 square meters. The transverse V angle of the wing is 2.5 degrees. The selected laws for the span of twist and curvature of the profile ensured the favorable development of stall at high angles of attack, which begins near the trailing edge of the wing in its middle part, which leads to a significant increase in the moment during a dive and naturally prevents the aircraft from reaching supercritical angles of attack.

The wing load was selected from the conditions for ensuring flight near the ground in a turbulent atmosphere at speeds up to maximum flight speed.

Since, based on flight conditions in a turbulent atmosphere, the load on the wing is quite high, effective wing mechanization is necessary to ensure a high level of takeoff, landing and maneuverability characteristics. For these purposes, the aircraft has wing mechanization, consisting of retractable slats and double-slotted three-section (maneuver-take-off-landing) flaps.

The increment in moment from the released wing mechanization is countered by rearranging the horizontal tail.

The installation of containers (gondolas) at the ends of the wing, in the tail parts of which split flaps are located, made it possible to increase the value of the maximum aerodynamic quality. For this purpose, the shape of the cross-sections of the containers and their installation location relative to the wing have been optimized. The longitudinal sections of the containers are an aerodynamic profile, and the cross sections are oval with compacted upper and lower surfaces. Tests in wind tunnels confirmed the calculations of aerodynamicists to obtain higher values ​​of maximum aerodynamic efficiency when installing containers.

The brake flaps installed in the wing containers satisfy all the standard requirements for them - increasing the aircraft's drag by at least twice, while their release does not lead to rebalancing of the aircraft and a decrease in its load-bearing properties. The brake flaps are split, which increases their efficiency by 60%.

The aircraft uses a fuselage with side non-adjustable air intakes with an oblique entrance. The canopy with a flat windshield smoothly transitions into a canopy located on the upper surface of the fuselage. The garrot in the rear fuselage merges with the tail boom separating the engine nacelles. The tail boom is a platform for installing a horizontal tail with an elevator and a single-fin vertical tail with a rudder. The tail boom ends with a parachute-brake unit (PTU) container.

The aerodynamic configuration of the Su-25 attack aircraft ensures: 1. obtaining high aerodynamic quality in cruising flight and high lift coefficients during takeoff and landing modes, as well as during maneuvering; 2. favorable course of the dependence of the longitudinal moment on the angle of attack, which prevents reaching large supercritical angles of attack and, thereby, increases flight safety; 3. high maneuverability when attacking ground targets; 4. acceptable characteristics of longitudinal stability and controllability in all flight modes; 5. steady dive mode with an angle of 30 degrees at a speed of 700 km/h.

The high level of aerodynamic quality and load-bearing properties made it possible to return the aircraft with extensive damage to the airfield.

The aircraft fuselage has an elliptical cross-section and is made according to a semi-monocoque design. The fuselage structure is prefabricated and riveted, with a frame consisting of a longitudinal load-bearing set - spars, beams, stringers and a transverse load-bearing set - frames.

Technologically, the fuselage is divided into the following main parts: 1. the head part of the fuselage with a folding nose, a folding part of the canopy, and front landing gear doors; 2. the middle part of the fuselage with the doors of the main landing gear (air intakes and wing consoles are attached to the middle part of the fuselage); 3. the tail section of the fuselage, to which the vertical and horizontal tail surfaces are attached. The brake parachute container is the end of the rear fuselage. The aircraft fuselage does not have operational connectors.

The Su-25 attack aircraft is a fairly highly protected aircraft. The combat survivability systems of the vehicle account for 7.2% of its normal take-off weight, which is no less than 1050 kg. In this case, the vital systems of the aircraft are shielded by less important systems and duplicated. Particular attention during development was paid to the protection of critical elements and components of the aircraft - the cockpit and fuel system. The cockpit is welded from special aviation titanium armor ABVT-20. The thickness of the armor plates that protect the pilot ranges from 10 to 24 mm. The front glazing of the cockpit provides the pilot with bulletproof protection and is a special TSK-137 glass block 65 mm thick. At the rear, the pilot is protected by a 10 mm thick steel armored back and a 6 mm thick armored headrest. The pilot is almost completely protected from fire from any small arms with a caliber of up to 12.7 mm, in the most dangerous directions from guns with a caliber of up to 30 mm.

The rescue of the pilot in the event of a critical defeat of the attack aircraft is carried out using the K-36L ejection seat. This seat provides rescue for the pilot at all flight speeds, modes and altitudes. Immediately before ejection, the cockpit canopy is reset. Ejection from the aircraft is carried out manually using 2 control handles, which the pilot must pull with both hands.

"4" Power plant

The aircraft is equipped with two interchangeable afterburning R-95 turbojet engines, with a non-adjustable nozzle and an underlying drive box, with autonomous electric start.

R-95 is a turbojet single-circuit twin-shaft aircraft engine, developed in 1979 at the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Research and Production Enterprise “Motor”” under the leadership of S. A. Gavrilov,

Main characteristics: • Overall dimensions, mm: • length - 2700 • maximum diameter (without units) - 772 • max. height (without object units) - 1008 • max. width (without object units) - 778 • Dry weight, kg. — 830 Parameters in terrestrial conditions at maximum mode: • thrust, kgf — 4100 • air consumption, kg/s — 67 • specific fuel consumption, kg/kgf.h — 0.86

The engines are located in engine compartments on both sides of the aircraft's tail boom. Air is supplied to the engines through two cylindrical air ducts with oval subsonic unregulated air intakes.

The aircraft engine has an unregulated tapered nozzle located in the rear part of the engine nacelle so that its cut coincides with the cut of the engine nacelle. Between the outer surface of the nozzle and the inner surface of the engine nacelle there is an annular gap for the exit of air blown through the engine compartment.

The systems that ensure the operation of the aircraft's power plant include: • fuel system; • engine control system; • engine operation monitoring devices; • engine starting system; • engine cooling system; • fire protection system; • drainage and venting system. To ensure normal operation of engines and their systems, the drainage system ensures that residual fuel, oil and hydraulic mixture are removed overboard the aircraft after the engines are stopped or in the event of a failed start.

The engine control system is designed to change engine operating modes and provides autonomous control of each engine. The system consists of an engine control panel on the left side of the cockpit and cable wiring with rollers that support the cable, treaders that regulate the tension of the cables, and gearbox units in front of the engines.

The engine oil system is a closed type, autonomous, designed to maintain the normal temperature state of rubbing parts, reduce their wear and reduce friction losses.

The starting system ensures autonomous and automatic starting of engines and their reaching a stable speed. Engines can be started on the ground from an on-board battery or from an airfield power source.

Cooling of the engines, components and fuselage structure from overheating is ensured by the incoming air flow entering through the cooling air intakes due to the high-speed pressure. Air intakes for cooling the engine compartments are located on the upper surface of the engine nacelles. The air that gets into them, under the influence of high-speed pressure, spreads through the engine compartments, cooling the engine, its components and structures. The exhaust cooling air exits through the annular gap formed by the engine nacelle and engine nozzles.

Cooling of electric generators installed on engines is also carried out by the incoming air flow due to the high-speed pressure. The generator cooling air intakes are installed on the upper surface of the fuselage tail boom in front of the fin; in the tail boom, the pipes are divided into left and right pipelines. After passing through the generators and cooling them, the air exits into the engine compartment, mixing with the main cooling air.

“5” Technical characteristics: Crew: 1 pilot Length: 15.36 m (with PVD) Wingspan: 14.36 m Height: 4.8 m Wing area: 30.1 m² Weight: - empty: 9,315 kg - loaded : 11,600 kg - normal take-off weight: 14,600 kg - maximum take-off weight: 17,600 kg - armor protection weight: 595 kg Power plant: 2 × R-95Sh turbojet engines

Flight characteristics: Speed: - maximum: 950 km/h (with normal combat load) - cruising: 750 km/h - landing: 210 km/h

Combat radius: 300 km

Practical range at altitude: - without PTB: 640 km - with 4× PTB-800: 1,250 km

Practical range on the ground: - without PTB: 495 km - with 4× PTB-800: 750 km

Ferry range: 1,950 km Service ceiling: 7,000 m Maximum combat altitude: 5,000 m

Armament: One 30 mm double-barreled gun GSh-30-2 in the lower bow with 250 rounds. Combat load - 4340 kg on 8 (10) hardpoints Normal load - 1340 kg.

"6" Purpose of the aircraft

Su-25 is an attack aircraft. The main purpose of attack aircraft is direct air support of ground troops on the battlefield and in the tactical depths of enemy defenses. The planes were supposed to destroy tanks, artillery, mortars, other technical means, as well as enemy personnel; counteract the approach of enemy tactical and operational reserves to the battlefield, destroy headquarters, communications facilities and field warehouses, disrupt transportation, destroy aircraft at airfields and actively fight transport and bomber aircraft in the air; sink river and sea vessels, conduct aerial reconnaissance.

"7" Combat use

The Su-25 attack aircraft was used in the Afghan War (1979-1989), the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), the Abkhaz War (1992-1993), the Karabakh War (1991-1994), the First and Second Chechen Wars (1994-1996 and 1999-2000), War in South Ossetia (2008), War in Ukraine (2014).

The first Su-25s began to arrive in combat units in April 1981, and already in June, serial attack aircraft were actively working against enemy targets in Afghanistan. The advantage of the new attack aircraft was obvious. Operating at a lower speed and altitude, the Su-25 did work that other aircraft could not do. Another proof of the effective operation of the Su-25 is the fact that combat missions often took place with a bomb load exceeding 4000 kg. This aircraft became a truly unique machine, thanks to which it was possible to save hundreds, and possibly thousands of Soviet soldiers.

In Afghanistan (1979-1989) for 8 years, starting in April 1981, the Su-25 confirmed its high combat effectiveness and survivability. According to OKB im. P.O. Sukhoi carried out about 60 thousand combat sorties, fired 139 guided missiles, of which 137 hit targets, and also fired a huge number of unguided missiles. Losses amounted to 23 aircraft, with an average flight time of 2800 hours for each of them. A downed Su-25 had, on average, 80-90 combat damage; there were cases of the aircraft returning to base with 150 holes. In this indicator, it significantly surpassed other Soviet aircraft used in Afghanistan and American aircraft during the Vietnam War. During the entire period of hostilities, there were no cases of fuel tank explosions or loss of attack aircraft due to the death of the pilot.

However, the Su-25 received its real baptism of fire in modern history inside Russian borders during the first Chechen campaign, when it had to work not only in the mountains, but also in populated areas. There were cases when, using high-precision laser-guided weapons, the Su-25 practiced a target within one separate area at home. Also, a pair of attack aircraft distinguished themselves during the liquidation of the leader of the ChRI, Dzhokhar Dudayev, who were guided to the target by the A-50 radar reconnaissance board. Subsequently, it was in the Caucasus that the effectiveness of the Su-25 and its modifications was often the key to the successful completion of the task and the withdrawal of the ground group without losses.

It is also worth noting that, despite its venerable age, the Su-25 successfully worked during the recent “Ossetian-Georgian” conflict, when Russian pilots successfully dealt with enemy ground targets and only three out of ten aircraft were shot down by the Buk air defense system. , which was provided to Georgia by Ukraine. It was during this period that a photo of one of the Su-25 aircraft appeared on the Internet, which flew to the airbase with a torn right engine. It flew, without any problems, on one engine.

"8" Production and modifications

The Su-25 was mass-produced from 1977 to 1991. There were and are a huge number of modifications of the legendary aircraft.

Since 1986, the plant in Ulan-Ude began producing the “sparky” Su-25UB, a two-seater combat training aircraft. Apart from the addition of a second pilot seat, the aircraft is almost identical to a classic attack aircraft and can be used for both training and combat.

The most modern modification of the serial attack aircraft Su-25SM differs from the “original” in a more modern set of avionics and the presence of more modern weapons.

The project of the Su-25K carrier-based attack aircraft with catapult take-off never went beyond the project stage (due to the absence of Russian aircraft carriers with catapults), but several Su-25UTG carrier-based training aircraft were produced, intended for deployment on board the aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral of the Fleet Kuznetsov" with a springboard take-off. The aircraft turned out to be so successful that it serves as the main training aircraft for training carrier-based aviation pilots.

The most interesting and complex modification is the Su-25T anti-tank aircraft, the decision to create which was made back in 1975. The main problem in the development of this aircraft was the creation of avionics (avionics) for detecting, tracking and guiding missiles at armored targets. The aircraft was based on the glider of the two-seat training aircraft Su-25UB; all the space allocated for the co-pilot was occupied by a new avionics. It was also necessary to move the gun into the cockpit compartment, expand and lengthen the nose, where the Shkval daytime optical sighting system was located to control the firing of the Whirlwind supersonic missiles. Despite the significant increase in internal volume, there was no room for a thermal imaging system in the new car. Therefore, the Mercury night vision system was mounted in a suspended container under the fuselage at the sixth suspension point.

"9" The future of the Su-25 aircraft

In terms of replacement, there are currently no worthy alternatives to the Su-25 presented. The attack aviation niche is so unique that it is difficult to create something more suitable for it than this attack aircraft. The Ministry of Defense said that, of course, projects that are being prepared to replace the Su-25 exist, but their use is now premature. “The capabilities of attack aircraft in Russia have not yet been exhausted,” the Ministry of Defense says. “At the moment there is no need to immediately replace the Su-25 with another type of aircraft. The advantage will be achieved through deep modernization of the Su-25, both in terms of re-equipping the aircraft itself and in terms of the weapons used in it. In particular, technologies that work on the “fire and forget” principle will be introduced.

When creating the Su-25, the designers saw in advance its enormous potential for modernization. The aircraft, unique in its survivability, is today the main combat vehicle for direct support of troops.

The main attack aircraft of the Russian air force, the Su-25, will soon undergo modernization. It is planned to convert all existing aircraft of this type in accordance with the modification of the Su-25SM. In addition to modifications, all attack aircraft will undergo a major overhaul, which will extend their service life by 15-20 years.

Primary sources: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D1%F3-25 https://www.airwar.ru/enc/attack/su25.html https://worldweapon.ru/sam/su25.php https://www.zelezki.ru/aviacatalog/russia/3193-shturmovik_su-25.html https://kollektsiya.ru/samoleti/121-s...hturmovik.html

Su-24 and the new century

And at the beginning of the third millennium, nothing indicates that the Su-24 aircraft will soon go to a “well-deserved rest.” Its characteristics are such that it can confidently carry out combat missions for many years to come. He had the opportunity to fight in several conflicts that arose after the collapse of the USSR. The aircraft has a durable airframe, powerful engines and a wide arsenal. At an altitude of 200 meters it can fly at speeds of up to 1400 km/h. The Su-24 is equipped with unique means of crew rescue. He will still have to serve his native country.

Disadvantages and differences between the Su-24 and Su-25

The main and most important disadvantage of the Su-24 is the high accident rate associated with this aircraft. The machine is very difficult to pilot, 14 aircraft were lost during flight tests alone, operation in combat units brought 5-6 disasters and accidents annually.

The Su-25 differs from its predecessor in that it has a greater degree of protection; it is not for nothing that it was nicknamed the “flying tank.” The cockpit of the new attack aircraft is an armored capsule, protected in all directions; all the less important units are a kind of protection for the more significant ones. A large number of titanium alloys reduced the weight of the vehicle and increased its maneuverability.

The Su-24 has a shorter sighting range and a smaller arsenal of weapons; it has a take-off and run length twice as long as the Su-25. The “Rook” had phenomenal design survivability; the vehicles arrived and landed at the departure airfield literally riddled with shells and bullets.

Su-24