Sukhoi Su-25SM / Su-25SM3
The affordable modernisation — a new digital nav-attack system in a refurbished airframe · Upgrades from 2002 · SM3 from 2018
The Su-25SM (Stroyevoy Modernizirovanny, 'service modernised') was conceived by the Russian Air Force in 2000 after the Su-25T and Su-25TM had been judged too complex and expensive. Instead of a new aircraft, existing single-seaters are refurbished and fitted with the PRnK-25SM 'Bars' navigation and attack system built around the BTsVM-90 computer from the TM programme, which made navigation and weapon delivery about three times as accurate as on the baseline Su-25. Conversions have been carried out at the 121st Aircraft Repair Plant at Kubinka.
The upgrade adds a new head-up display with twice the field of view, a multifunction display, satellite navigation and a Pastel radar warning receiver, while the R-95Sh engines are overhauled with an anti-surge system. Pre- and post-flight maintenance was cut by about 25–30 percent and around 300 kg of weight was saved. The weapons list gained R-73 missiles and S-13T rockets, and the cannon three slower firing rates. More than 80 aircraft were upgraded between 2005 and 2015.
From 2018 the Su-25SM3 began reaching units, with 25 delivered by June 2019. It replaces the old Klen-PS laser nose with the SOLT-25 electro-optical module, which offers 16× zoom, a thermal imager and moving-target tracking, and adds the Vitebsk-25 self-protection suite with ultraviolet missile-approach warners and wing-mounted jamming pods.
