Russia brings the most powerful version of Su-25 to Syria

According to Vpk, the Russian Air Force has just successfully tested the Su-25SM3 - the latest version of the Su-25 with a series of new equipment.

The Russian Air Force said that the aircraft participating in the test was Su-25SM3 with serial number 06, one of the first five aircraft successfully upgraded by Russia. According to Aircraft Repair Plant 121, the Su-25SM3 version is equipped with modern aviation technical systems including: PrNK-25SM-1 target positioning and tracking system, KSS-25 communication system and especially the L370K25 Vitebsk electronic warfare system.

The news that Russia successfully tested the Su-25SM3 version was quite surprising because at the end of September 2016, Sputnik news agency reported that the Russian Air Force had decided to send the latest version of the Su-25, the Su-25SM3, equipped with the Vitebsk active defense system, to the Hmeymim military base, Syria to replace the Su-25s that had withdrawn from there since March 2016.

Su-25 with new equipment equipped.

The presence of the Su-25SM3 in Syria was not widely announced by Russia, but RT TV channel recently posted a short video showing that this attack aircraft provided air support for the Syrian government army in Latakia province.

Thus, the presence of the Su-25SM3 in Syria also means that Russia has brought a total of 3 types of aircraft equipped with the Vitebsk electronic countermeasures system to Syria to participate in actual combat.

TASS news agency quoted Russian military sources as saying that, up to now, Moscow has integrated the Vitebsk system onto the Ka-52 aircraft with the code L-370P-2, onto the Mi-8MT transport aircraft with the code L-370E-8, and onto the Su-25, Mi-26 and Mi-28 helicopters.

However, for unknown reasons, a Russian Mi-28 crashed in April 2016 while the helicopter was participating in a military campaign against IS terrorists in Syria.

According to information provided by the First Deputy General Director of Russia's largest Radio-Electronic Technologies Corporation (KRET), Igor Nasenkov, "The basic component of Vitebsk is the digital active jamming station TsSAP codenamed L-370-3S. This station has a higher speed than the analog type in other complexes, such as Sorbtsiya of Su-27, Gerdeniya of MiG-29".

He clarified that Vitebsk not only evaluates the emission of enemy radars, but also “suppresses” signals in a wider frequency range. In addition to TsSAP, the complex also includes a missile protection system with a heat-seeking homing head (TGSN). This system uses laser headlights to blind enemy missiles.

Independent military expert, one of the co-authors of the book Russia's New Army, Anton Lavrov welcomed Vitebsk: "Air defense technology does not stand still, it becomes sophisticated.

Frequencies, signal coding methods have changed, and the basis for everything everywhere is digital technology. Therefore, this electronic warfare complex for the Air Force fully meets modern requirements.

He also agrees with the view of the Russian Air Force Command when deciding to equip Vitebsk first of all on helicopters and attack aircraft. This expert said that these aircraft operate the closest to the enemy, so they are often attacked by air defense means.

According to Datviet