File image.
Another Su-25 close air support fighter jet of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) has survived a direct hit from Ukrainian air defense fire.
On June 10, Russian sources shared photos of the fighter jet, which was reportedly hit by a man-portable air-defense system (MANPAD). The fighter jet’s left engine received a direct hit. Despite the heavy damage, the jet was able to land in an unspecified Russian air base. The pilot was not hurt as a result of the incident.
Click to see full-size image. Via Twitter.
Click to see full-size image. Via Twitter.
Click to see full-size image. Via Twitter.
This was the second Russian Su-25 to survive a direct hit from Ukrainian air defense fire. The first such incident was reported in the very first weeks of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.
The Su-25 was designed to withstand air defense fire, especially MANPADs. The fighter jet’s cockpit, fuel tanks and engines are all armored. The jet also has a redundant control schemes to increase the likelihood of surviving a hit.
The protection was improved in the upgraded Su-25SM3, which were equipped with the Vitebsk-25 protection suite. The suite integrates a set of Zakhvat forward and rearward facing missile approach warning ultraviolet sensors, the L-150-16M Pastel radar homing and warning system, two UV-26M 50 mm chaff dispensers and a pair of wing-mounted L-370-3S radar jamming pods. The fighter jet that survived the hit was not upgraded to the SM3 standard.
The VKS’s Su-25s have been providing Russian troops along the frontlines in the Donbass region with close air support. Typically, they are armed with S-13 unguided rockets, which have a warhead of 21-32 kilograms and a range of 3-6 kilometers depending on the variant.
While Ukraine is still retaining some of its air defense and air force capabilities, the VKS maintains supremacy over the country’s airspace.
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