Sukhoi Su-25

The Sukhoi Su-25 Grach (Russian: Грач (rook); NATO reporting name: Frogfoot) is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by Sukhoi. It was designed to provide close air support for the Soviet Ground Forces. The first prototype made its maiden flight on February 22nd 1975. After testing, the aircraft went into series production in 1978 at Tbilisi in the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Early variants included the Su-25UB two-seat trainer, the Su-25BM for target-towing, and the Su-25K for export customers. Some aircraft were being upgraded to Su-25SM standard in 2012. The Su-25T and the Su-25TM (also known as the Su-39) were further developments, not produced in significant numbers. The Su-25, and the Su-34, were the only armored, fixed-wing aircraft in production in 2007. Su-25s are in service with Russia, other CIS states, and export customers.

The type has seen combat in several conflicts during its more than thirty years in service. It was heavily involved in the Soviet war in Afghanistan, flying counter-insurgency missions against the Mujahideen. The Iraqi Air Force employed Su-25s against Iran during the 1980–88 Iran–Iraq War. Most were later destroyed or flown to Iran in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. The Georgian Air Force used Su-25s during the Abkhazia War from 1992 to 1993. The Macedonian Air Force used Su-25s against Albanian insurgents in the 2001 Macedonia conflict and, in 2008, Georgia and Russia both used Su-25s in the Russo-Georgian War. African states, including the Ivory Coast, Chad, and Sudan have used the Su-25 in local insurgencies and civil wars.

Users

 * Angola
 * Angolan Air Force
 * Armenia
 * Armenian Air Force
 * Azerbaijan
 * Azerbaijan Air Force
 * Belarus
 * Belarusian Air Force
 * Bulgaria
 * Bulgarian Air Force
 * Chad
 * Chadian Air Force
 * Democratic Republic of the Congo
 * Democratic Republic of the Congo Air Force
 * Czechoslovakia
 * Czechoslovakian Air Force
 * Czech Republic
 * Czech Air Force
 * Equatorial Guinea
 * Equatoguinean Air Force
 * Ethiopia
 * Ethiopian Air Force
 * Gambia
 * Gambian Air Force
 * Georgia
 * Georgian Air Force
 * Iran
 * Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force - sold back to Iraq in the mid-2000s
 * Iraq
 * Iraqi Air Force
 * Ivory Coast
 * Ivory Coast Air Force
 * Kazakhstan
 * Kazakh Air Force
 * Democratic People's Republic of Korea
 * Korean People's Air Force
 * Macedonia
 * Macedonian Air Force
 * Niger
 * Niger Air Force
 * Peru
 * Peruvian Air Force
 * Russia
 * Russian Air Force
 * Slovakia
 * Slovak Air Force
 * Soviet Union
 * Soviet Air Force
 * Sudan
 * Sudanese Air Force
 * Turkmenistan
 * Turkmen Air Force
 * Ukraine
 * Ukrainian Air Force
 * Uzbekistan
 * Uzbekistan Air Force

Related Development

 * Sukhoi Su-28

Comparable Aircraft

 * AMX International AMX
 * Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II
 * Mikoyan MiG-27
 * Mitsubishi F-1
 * SEPECAT Jaguar
 * Soko J-22 Orao/IAR-93 Vultur
 * Xian JH-7 Flying Leopard