Sources say that Russia will soon be sending the Su-25SM3 with the Su-35SM concerned with close air support against the Arm Forces of Ukraine. Speculations over the deployment of the upgraded ground attack aircraft regarding the increasing attacks using Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) are rife,
Russia Expands Ground Offensive in Close Air Support
Ukrainians are seeing the deployment of VKS in aerial raids when units like fighter planes and rotorcraft are placed near the borders of Ukraine, reported Eurasian Times.
Based on sources like TASS, which indicated in Russian media sporadic reports, modified planes from the Soviet era saw action at the front. By all indications that the RuMoD did somewhat verify these reports.
The VKS and UAF force have the legacy Soviet aircraft as part of their offensive forces as support, flying low and napping off the earth to attack ground targets. Recent offensives in the Donbas and the Bakhmut meat grinder help the Russian forces wage a more intense campaign to conquer Ukrainian defenders.
Last February 18, the Russian Ministry of Defense published these Su-25 assault aircraft firing missiles at designated Ukrainian targets. Sources report the Russian MoD doesn't mention specific variants of the plane used to demolish AFU positions, according to Military Today.
Su-25 SM3 Grac Improved ground support
It is called the Frogfoot by NATO, which flies under the speed of sound, is armored to take ground fire, covers ground forces, is built to attack in all weather conditions, can operate at 650 kilometers wide, and is a top speed of 975 kilometers. Its payload carries 4.4 tons of weaponry at maximum capacity, per Airforce Technology.
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Lasers guide smart weapons to their targets, allowing fire and forget weapons to hit targets on their own too. More add-on is a GLONASS for the plane to orient itself and fire high-precision weaponry, improving the chances of non-guidance air-launched arms hitting like guided weapons.
Installed are brand new SOLT-25 navigation and targeting systems with multiple sensors. Equipped with a legacy GSh-30-2 dual barrel 30-mm cannon and a variety of artillery for all targets guided by sensors.
To protect the Grach or Frogfoot, Ekran's Vitebsk self-defense system prevents attacks with optical and radio jamming of all kinds of missiles. It comes as a respite from getting shot down in the war zone since 2015. Flares to draw away missiles fired by MANPADS were noted by the Russian MoD, which resulted in the losses of Su-25 being reported on both sides.
Squadron Leader Vijainder K. Thakur (retd) commented that the conflict had things to say. He added that fewer Su-25s are lost because of better strategies using the Su-35S and Su-30SM to shield them from AFU attacks.
These aircraft were in Syria in 2015 to see how effective the complex is against the portable ground-to-air missiles, mentioned AIN Online. The improved SM3 can be linked to the battlefield network that connects all complexes.
Russian VKS is expected to punch through AFUs defense with this complex added to Russian forces. Russia sees the addition of the Su-25SM3 in close air support as critical to the offensive.
