A Ukrainian air force SU-25 fighter plane flies during exercises near the southern city of Mykolayiv in 2006.(GENIA SAVILOV/AFP/Getty Images)
Summary
Despite a number of recent incidents in which pro-Russian militants have shot down Ukrainian military airplanes and helicopters, aircraft continue to play an effective role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Their deployment contributed to Kiev's recent capture of the cities of Dzerzhinsk, Soledar and Rubizhne by providing valuable support to advancing ground forces. Aside from Mi-24 and Mi-8 helicopters, Su-25 aircraft have played the most prominent role in air support and, as a result, have suffered disproportionate casualties. As a simple, reliable and sturdy ground attack airplane, the Su-25 will continue to be useful in eastern Ukraine, although it will come under increasing threat from militant air defense systems.
Analysis
The Soviet Union introduced the Su-25 in 1975 as its version of the U.S.-produced A-10 Thunderbolt, known as the Warthog. Equipped with a robust airframe, the Su-25 was designed specifically for close air support and ground attack missions. It has seen extensive combat in Afghanistan, Chechnya and elsewhere.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, Ukraine inherited around 95 Su-25s that had been stationed in its territory. Of these, 20 were worn-out early production models that had seen extensive service in Afghanistan. Short of funds, Kiev made several rounds of cuts to its force structure, including reducing its inventory of Su-25s. The Ukrainian military consolidated the remaining airplanes into the 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade based out of Kulbakino air base northeast of Odessa. At the opening of the conflict in Crimea in February, the 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade had 41 Su-25s in service, with 18 in working order.
Kiev did, however, allocate funds to overhaul and modernize its stock of Su-25s beginning in 2003. This primarily involved installing a satellite navigation system with an optical sight. The upgrade enhanced the accuracy of the Su-25s' weapons systems and provided them with the ability to operate nocturnally and during unfavorable weather conditions. This has proved critical in subsequent operations against militants in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region.
Since the start of combat in eastern Ukraine in April, Su-25s have been at the forefront of Kiev's fixed-wing ground attack and close air support missions. Ukrainian forces prefer to fly their Su-25s low and slow to better search for ground targets. To enhance their capabilities, Kiev has equipped many of its airplanes with B-8M1 80 mm rocket pods in addition to the standard 30 mm cannon and with 800-liter (210 gallons) auxiliary fuel tanks to extend time in the field. The Su-25's ability to be equipped with heavy weapons, its considerable weapons accuracy and its sturdy structure have all made it ideal for supporting anti-separatist operations. Already Ukraine has deployed it in missions ranging from destroying a downed Ukrainian Mi-24P helicopter to carrying out search and destroy operations targeting rebel armored columns.
But Kiev's widespread deployment of its Su-25s and the influx of air defense systems into separatist hands have led to the loss of seven aircraft outright. Several others have been damaged but managed to return to base for repairs. These losses constitute around half of Kiev's pre-conflict operational Su-25s, although in the interim the military has managed to overhaul others and bring them into operation.
Rebel fire, especially from man-portable air defense systems, has been responsible for a number of the downed or damaged airplanes and remains a significant threat to Su-25 aircraft, especially when they are engaged in low-level strike and close air support missions. Kiev has also accused Russia of shooting down Ukraine's Su-25s on several occasions. Fire purportedly from Russian territory brought down two Su-25s over the Ukrainian town of Saur Mogila on July 23, and Russian fighter jets are believed to have shot down another Su-25 on July 16 using an air-to-air missile. The veracity of these claims is unclear.
Despite these losses, the Su-25 has seen so much use in eastern Ukraine because it is a relatively simple, reliable and sturdy ground attack aircraft. The Su-25 was particularly useful in the early phases of the conflict, when Kiev had substantially superior forces and equipment and militants lacked the ability to take down airplanes. With the continued threat of Russian fighter aircraft and increasing separatist air defense capabilities, the Su-25's usefulness to Kiev has declined. It is neither as fast nor as well equipped with defensive capabilities as more recently produced aircraft.
Still, Kiev is likely to continue to rely heavily on its Su-25 aircraft unless Moscow significantly boosts separatist capabilities with a considerable number of modern and high-end surface-to-air missiles, such as the Buk system used to bring down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. This would not be easy because rebel air capabilities have come under increased scrutiny since the MH17 crash. Kiev's use of the Su-25 remains a valuable case study that demonstrates the crucial role that close air support aircraft can play while simultaneously highlighting their vulnerability in contested airspace.
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