slowly modi ed at Kubinka but were
not delivered and instead awaited the
completion of formal evaluations. Only
in 2018 was the rst batch of reportedly
22 upgraded Su-25SM3s delivered.
Reports suggest that all surviving Su-25s
will be upgraded to SM3 standard,
including the Su-25SMs.
The reason for the delay is attributed
mainly to the SOLT-25 targeting system,
which was not ready. Dividing the work
into stages and adding the SOLT-25 laterwas considered, but eventually it was
decided to wait.
The SOLT-25 (Sistema Optiko-Lazerno-
Teplotelevizionnaya, optical-laser-
thermo-television system), produced by
Zverev Zenith of Krasnogorsk, is tted
in the Su-25SM3’s nose in place of the
basic Klyon-PS laser range nder/target
designator. The Su-25SM3 also features
the PrNK-25SM-1 targeting and navigation
system that enables the simultaneous
attack of four targets (compared withtwo in the SM version). The new L370K-25
Vitebsk-25 self-defense suite couples the
Zakhvat infra-red sensor and L150-16M
Pastel radar warning sensors, L370-3S
active jammer in two pods on the
wingtips, and a UV-26M decoy dispensing
system. The UV-26M system controls the
26mm cha / ares on the engine nacelles
and 28 new 50mm downward- ring
decoys tted under the fuselage. A new
KSS-25 communication suite is added too.
In comparison to the Su-25SM, the
SM3 version adds Kh-58USh anti-
radiation missiles (up to two) and
KAB-500S satellite-guided bombs (up
to two). The remaining air-to-ground
guided ordnance is similar to that of
the Su-25SM and includes up to two
Kh-29L/T/TD/TE missiles, up to two
KAB-500Kr guided bombs and up
to four Kh-25ML or S-25L/LD laser-
guided missiles. R-73 (AA-11 ‘Archer’)
air-to-air missiles are carried for self-
protection. Two-seat upgraded aircraft
are designated as the Su-25UBM2. An
alternative SVP-24-25 upgrade from
Gefest&T was tested but rejected.
In 2012, Sukhoi won a tender for the
design of the Perspektivnyi Samolyot
Shturmovik (PSSh, Future Attack
Aircraft), codenamed ‘Shershen’ (hornet).
It’s expected that the Sukhoi PSSh will
be a development of the Su-25. The
Ulan-Ude plant retains the infrastructure
for Su-25 production, but the new
project has stagnated.Above: A
Su-25SM, one of
the 80 operational
jets so modifi ed.
Piotr Butowski
Above left: A
wonderfully
weathered
Su-25 on fi nal
approach to land.
The Su-25SM3
upgrade is now
gathering pace.
Piotr Butowski
Below left:
A Su-25M lets rip
with two S-25
heavy unguided
rockets.
Dmitriy Pichugin
Right: Su-25UB
combat trainers
were all built at
the Ulan-Ude
plant in Russia
and are being
upgraded to
Su-25UBM2
standard.
Piotr ButowskiFORCE REPORT // RUSSIAN TACTICAL BOMBERS
86 August 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net
80-87 Russian Strikers C.indd 86 21/06/2018 13:51