Modern attack aircraft. The most formidable Russian attack aircraft in service. The performance characteristics of the aircraft

Today, almost no one is developing new attack aircraft for the Air Force, preferring to rely on fighter-bombers. Here are five attack aircraft that the ground forces are afraid to see in the sky above them.

One such aircraft has remained in service since the Vietnam War, while the other has not yet made a single sortie. Most are used in a variety of situations, highlighting their flexibility and versatility. combat use. Air strikes against ground targets are still very important. Here are five attack aircraft that the ground forces hate to see in the sky above them.

Have stormtroopers become an endangered species? Today, almost no one develops new strike aircraft of this type for the Air Force, preferring to rely on fighter-bombers, although attack aircraft with their precision weapons do all the dirty work of providing close air support and isolating the battlefield from the air. But it has always been that way: the Air Force has always eschewed close strike support and has been more interested in fast-moving fighters and majestic bombers. Many World War II attack aircraft began their lives in design bureaus as fighters, and turned into attack aircraft only after the "failure" of the developers. Nevertheless, all these years, attack aircraft skillfully and conscientiously performed one of the main tasks of aviation to destroy enemy forces on the battlefield and to provide support to their ground forces.

In this article, we will analyze five modern aircraft that perform very old ground strike missions. One such aircraft has remained in service since the Vietnam War, while the other has not yet made a single sortie. All of them are specialized (or have become specialized) and are designed to deliver strikes against enemy troops in combat conditions. Most of them are used in a variety of situations, which emphasizes the flexibility and versatility of their combat use.

A-10 was born as a result of rivalry between the branches of the armed forces. In the late 1960s, as a result of a long struggle between the ground forces and the US Air Force for a close air support vehicle, two competing programs were born. The ground forces were attack helicopter Cheyenne, and the Air Force funded program A-X. Problems with the helicopter, combined with good prospects for the A-X, led to the abandonment of the first project. The second sample eventually turned into the A-10, which had a heavy gun and was designed specifically for destruction. Soviet tanks.

A-10 proved itself well during the war in Persian Gulf, where he caused serious damage to Iraqi transport convoys, although the Air Force was initially reluctant to send him to this theater of operations. The A-10 was also used in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and recently took part in the battles against ISIS. Although today the Warthog (as the military affectionately calls it) rarely destroys tanks, it has demonstrated its highest efficiency in counterguerrilla warfare - thanks to its low speed and ability to for a long time barrage in the air.

The Air Force has tried several times since the 1980s to phase out the A-10. Military pilots from the Air Force claim that this aircraft has low survivability in air combat and that multi-role fighter-bombers (from F-16 to F-35) can perform its tasks much more efficiently and without much risk. Outraged A-10 pilots, the Army and the US Congress disagree. The latest political battle over the Warthog was so severe that an Air Force general declared that any US Air Force member who forwarded information about the A-10 to Congress would be considered a "traitor."

Like the A-10, the Su-25 is a slow, heavily armored aircraft capable of delivering powerful firepower. Like the Warthog, it was designed to strike on the central front in the event of a conflict between NATO and the Warsaw Pact, but then went through a number of modifications for use in other conditions.

Since its inception, the Su-25 has been involved in many conflicts. He first fought in Afghanistan when they entered Soviet troops- it was used in the fight against the Mujahideen. The Iraqi Air Force actively used the Su-25 in the war with Iran. He was involved in many wars, one way or another connected with the collapse Soviet Union, including in the Russian-Georgian war of 2008, and then in the war in Ukraine. The rebels, using Russian anti-aircraft missile systems, shot down several Ukrainian Su-25s. Last year, when it became clear that the Iraqi army was unable to cope with ISIS on its own, the Su-25 again attracted attention. Iran offered to use its Su-25s, and Russia allegedly delivered a batch of these aircraft to the Iraqis on an urgent basis (although they could also be from Iranian trophies captured from Iraq in the 1990s).

Outwardly Super Tucano seems to be a very modest aircraft. It looks a bit like the North American P-51 Mustang, which was adopted over seventy years ago. The Super Tucano has a very specific task: to strike and patrol in airspace where no one opposes it. Thus, he has become an ideal vehicle for counterguerrilla warfare: he can track down rebels, strike at them and stay in the air until the combat mission is completed. This is almost the perfect aircraft for fighting insurgents.

The Super Tucano flies (or will soon fly) with more than a dozen air forces in countries South America, Africa and Asia. This aircraft is helping the Brazilian authorities to manage vast lands in the Amazon basin, and Colombia - to fight the FARC militants. The Dominican Air Force uses Super Tucano in the fight against drug trafficking. In Indonesia, he helps hunt pirates.

After many years of efforts, the US Air Force managed to get a squadron of such aircraft: they intend to use them to increase the combat effectiveness of the air forces of partner countries, including Afghanistan. The Super Tucano is perfect for the Afghan army. It is easy to operate and maintain and can give the Afghan air force an important advantage in the fight against the Taliban.

At the start of the Vietnam War, the US Air Force felt the need for a large, well-armed aircraft that could fly over the battlefield and destroy ground targets when the Communists went on the offensive or when they could be detected. Initially, the Air Force developed the AC-47 aircraft based on the C-47 transport vehicle: they equipped it with guns by installing them in the cargo hold.

The AC-47 proved to be highly effective, and Air Force Command, desperate for close air support, decided that a larger aircraft would be even better. The AC-130 fire support aircraft, developed on the basis of the C-130 Hercules military transport, is a large and slow machine that is completely defenseless against enemy fighters and a serious air defense system. Several AC-130s were lost in Vietnam and one was shot down by MANPADS during the Gulf War.

But at its core, the AC-130 simply grinds down enemy ground troops and fortifications. It can endlessly barrage over enemy positions, delivering powerful cannon fire and using its rich arsenal of other means of destruction. The AC-130 is the eye on the battlefield, and besides, it can destroy anything that moves. AC-130s have served in Vietnam, the Gulf War, the invasion of Panama, the Balkan conflict, the Iraq War, and operations in Afghanistan. There are reports of one aircraft converted to fight zombies.

This plane did not drop a single bomb, did not fire a single rocket, and did not make a single sortie. But someday he can do it, and this will make a fundamental change in the combat aviation market of the 21st century. Scorpion is a subsonic aircraft with very heavy weapons. It does not have the firepower of the A-10 and Su-25, but it is equipped with state-of-the-art avionics and is light enough to carry out reconnaissance and surveillance, as well as strike ground targets.

Scorpion can fill an important niche in the Air Force of many countries. Long years air Force with great reluctance acquired multi-purpose aircraft that perform several important tasks, but do not have the prestige and gloss that is inherent in the leading fighters. But with the cost of fighter jets skyrocketing, and with many Air Forces in dire need of ground attack aircraft to maintain domestic order and secure borders, the Scorpion (as well as the Super Tucano) could fill the role.

In a sense, the Scorpion is the high-tech counterpart of the Super Tucano. Air forces from developing countries could invest in both aircraft, as this will give them a lot of opportunities in terms of strikes against ground targets, and Scorpion in some situations will allow air combat.

Conclusion

Production of most of these aircraft was completed many years ago. That is good reasons. The attack aircraft has never been particularly popular as an aircraft class in the Air Force. different countries. Close air support and battlefield isolation are extremely dangerous tasks, especially when performed at low altitudes. Attack aircraft often operate at the junctions of units and formations and sometimes become victims of inconsistency in their actions.

In order to find a replacement for attack aircraft, the modern air force has focused on improving the capabilities of fighter-bombers and strategic bombers. Therefore, in Afghanistan, a significant part of the tasks of close air support is performed by B-1B bombers, designed to carry out nuclear strikes on the Soviet Union.

But as recent battles in Syria, Iraq and Ukraine show, stormtroopers still have an important job to do. And if this niche in the US and Europe is not filled by traditional suppliers from the military-industrial complex, then (relative) newcomers like Textron and Embraer will fill it.

Robert Farley is Associate Professor at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce. His research interests include national security, military doctrine and maritime affairs.

This is not the first time Bondarev has made statements that an attack aircraft will be created on the basis of the Su-34 fighter-bomber. So, in 2016, the then acting Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces announced that in the future it is planned to create a line of various modifications on the basis of the Su-34. “My opinion is that the new attack aircraft should still be made on the basis of the Su-34. A wonderful plane. Maneuverable, eight tons of bomb load versus four for the "twenty-fifth", excellent accuracy characteristics<…>. I think it will be easier and faster to make a cockpit for one pilot, and leave everything else as it is,” Bondarev said. Bondarev also noted that Su-25 attack aircraft still have serious modernization and repair potential and their resource should be enough for 10 15 years. First of all, this period is due to the service life of aircraft airframes.
Hornet and Yak-130 The development of projects for a new Russian attack aircraft began several years ago. In particular, the state armaments program until 2020 included development work on a project with the Shershen-EP code, which was planned to be created on the basis of the Su-25. It was assumed that the aircraft will receive R-195 engines and new avionics. In addition, at the beginning of this year, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, Denis Manturov, announced that the Yak-130 combat training aircraft could become a replacement for the attack aircraft.
There is nothing surprising in such a range of opinions about what the new Russian attack aircraft should be like. Firstly, this is how the most optimal option is always found, and secondly, the disputes in this case are not about a specific vehicle, but about what place it should take on the battlefield in the armed conflicts of the future. And in order to understand this, you need to talk about the history of domestic attack aircraft. Reinforced concrete aircraft Russian military history knows a significant example when the future of the whole country depended on attack aircraft. Il-2, or, as the Germans called it, "reinforced concrete aircraft", was created to directly support troops on the battlefield. It is important to emphasize that during the Great Patriotic War ground targets were stormed not only by attack aircraft, but also by fighter pilots. At the beginning of the war, due to the lack of suitable equipment, even Il-4 bombers performed these tasks, which naturally led to huge losses. The main difference between the Il-2 and other aircraft was that it was originally created as an attack aircraft: armor was part construction, which not only protected from bullets, but also carried the load. But all attempts to create an analogue of the Soviet attack aircraft in Germany failed. IL-2 became the most massive aircraft in the history of aviation: in total, about 36 thousand attack aircraft were built, which greatly influenced the outcome of the war. Modifications of these machines were used in some countries until 1954, but in the USSR, attack aircraft were completely eliminated after the war. Ilyushin vs. Sukhoi Attack aviation was abolished by order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR on April 20, 1956. This was due to the advent of tactical nuclear weapons, which made us take a different look at the tasks of the Air Force over the battlefield: in the event of a nuclear war, attack aircraft seemed unnecessary. In addition, the command was sure that, if necessary, attack aircraft would be easily replaced by fighter aircraft, which even then could carry wide range weapons. But it soon turned out that this was not the case. By the mid-1960s, the military doctrines of the USSR and the USA had again changed dramatically. It became clear that full-scale nuclear war unlikely, and conventional weapons will be involved in local conflicts. In 1967, the Dnepr exercise took place, during which fighter pilots tried to strike at ground targets. The results were unexpected: the most effective was the MiG-17 fighter, which, thanks to its maneuverability, allowed pilots to confidently recognize and hit targets. It was difficult for other high-speed cars to hit the "ground" because of their high speed. It became clear that the army needed a new attack aircraft, which was the Su-25, which later received the nickname "Rook" in the troops.
The development of the Su-25 project was started by young employees of the Sukhoi Design Bureau secretly from the leadership long before the USSR Ministry of Defense announced a competition for a new attack aircraft. In many ways, this is what influenced the victory of the Su-25: this machine was the only one presented in the form of a full-size mock-up at the competition, which, of course, also influenced the choice of the commission. S. V. Ilyushina submitted to the competition the project of the Il-102 attack aircraft, which was much larger than the Su-25: the empty weight of the aircraft was 13 tons against nine for the Su-25, and the payload of the Il-102 was close to the Su-34 and was 7 200 kg. But it was the Sukhoi aircraft that was adopted, and, of course, this was done not only because the Design Bureau presented a full-scale model: the project turned out to be closer to the needs of the military than the Il-102. Born in controversy The dimensions of the aircraft and its takeoff weight changed several times during the design: initially the car was much lighter, and the military wanted to get a supersonic car. As a result, an aircraft with a normal takeoff weight of 14,600 kg, a maximum speed of 950 km / h and a maximum combat load of 4,400 kg went into series. It was assumed that the Su-25 would have to move with the army in the event of its advance or retreat, and therefore take off from unpaved strips, and in case of urgent need, use motor gasoline instead of aviation kerosene. All key elements of the aircraft are well armored. Initially, in special containers it was supposed to transport everything necessary for servicing the aircraft in the field, including equipment from ground personnel.
It is important to emphasize that never in the entire long history of the combat use of an attack aircraft did these capabilities come in handy. But in combat, the aircraft proved to be excellent, becoming truly legendary. The aircraft carries a wide range of weapons, from guided and unguided missiles to the 20-mm missile system"Vortex". The aircraft underwent several modifications for the Russian Aerospace Forces. The newest of them is the Su-25SM3. "Rooks" over Syria With the advent precision weapons talk began again that attack aircraft were no longer needed. Why, if there are cruise missiles capable of hitting any window from a distance of thousands of kilometers? Particularly loud voices in favor of decommissioning attack aircraft began to sound in the United States, where the F-35 A-10 fighter should replace the A-10 Thunderbolt. This is largely due to the fact that the developers of the fighter, by hook or by crook, tried to recoup the colossal funds invested in this project. But in reality, attack aircraft still remain one of the main strike forces on the battlefield, and this applies to both American and Russian aviation.
Su-25 attack aircraft, together with Su-24 front-line bombers, form the backbone of the Russian group in Syria. Aircraft were effectively used to destroy command posts, warehouses, militant manpower. The Rooks proved to be especially effective in destroying terrorist armored vehicles. But at least two cases are known that showed that these aircraft are very difficult to replace with something. Thus, Su-25 attack aircraft provided air support during the release of a Russian platoon. military police in the Idlib de-escalation zone in Syria, attacking militant positions. Thanks to rapid response and the accuracy of air strikes, the Russian military was successfully withdrawn from the encirclement. The second well-known case is when attack aircraft covered the movement of troops along the road to Deir ez-Zor, preventing the terrorists from approaching the convoy. “When it comes to real armed conflicts, it turns out that a well-armored and protected attack aircraft is still indispensable on the battlefield , despite the emergence of ever new types of weapons. And this situation is unlikely to change in the future,” military expert Vladimir Karnozov believes. Replacement for "Rook" The concept of using the Su-34 as an attack aircraft has both undeniable pluses and minuses. The pluses include the fact that the aircraft has a significantly larger combat load compared to the Su-25, and the fact that R&D will take a little time and require relatively little money. The main disadvantage of such a project is the size of the aircraft. “The main task of the attack aircraft is to strike at ground targets from relatively low altitudes. At these heights, the car can be "reached" by fire from small arms. And the larger the plane, the higher the chances that they will be able to get into it. Besides, big sizes and take-off weight can increase the cost of a flight hour compared to lighter attack aircraft,” says military expert Dmitry Drozdenko. the question of creating on the basis of the Su-34 is still open.
“The attack aircraft is an aircraft that was originally created for certain tasks, and it is rather difficult to create it from the Su-34 or Yak-130. Therefore, in my opinion, it would be more expedient to continue work on the Shershen project,” Karnozov believes. According to Viktor Bondarev, work on creating an attack aircraft based on the Su-34 is scheduled for 2018. It is precisely the calculation of the cost of these works and the simulation of the effectiveness of this machine on the battlefield that will show whether it is necessary for the VKS.

It so happened that one of my first aviation photographs taken more than ten years ago at the early MAKS were pictures of unusual, but at the same time very attractive aircraft designed by Evgeny Petrovich Grunin. This name is not so widely known in our country, who came out of the galaxy of designers of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, and organized his own creative team, for almost twenty-five years Evgeny Petrovich was engaged in general aviation, aircraft that would be needed in every corner of the country would be in demand in a variety of industries, almost wrote, the national economy. Of the built, the most famous Grunin aircraft were such machines as the T-411 Aist, T-101 Grach, T-451 and aircraft based on them. They were repeatedly shown at MAKS in different years, some samples fly in the country and abroad. I tried to follow the work of E.P. Grunin's design bureau, the son of the designer, Pyotr Evgenievich, who led the thematic thread on the experimental aviation forum, provided great informational assistance in this. In the summer of 2009, I personally met Evgeny Petrovich during tests of the AT-3 turboprop aircraft. Evgeny Petrovich spoke little about his work at the Sukhoi Design Bureau, except that he spoke interestingly about his participation in the modifications of the aerobatic Su-26, which remained "ownerless" after Vyacheslav Kondratyev, who dealt with this topic, left the Design Bureau, and, rather vaguely, that he had previously worked in the brigade "on the theme of the T-8 aircraft." I didn't ask about it in more detail, especially since the summer test day was not very conducive to a long interview.

Imagine my surprise when pictures of models of unusual combat aircraft began to appear on the network, under which it was indicated that these were promising attack aircraft developed at the turn of the 90s at the Sukhoi Design Bureau under the LVS program (Easily Reproducible Attack Aircraft). All these aircraft were developed in the so-called "100-2" brigade, and the leader of this topic was Evgeny Petrovich Grunin.

All photographs and computer graphics used in the article are the property of E.P. Grunin Design Bureau and are published with permission, I took the liberty of editing and streamlining the texts a little.

At the end of the eighties, the concept became widespread among the military leadership of the country that in the case nuclear strike in the USSR, the Union was divided into four industrially isolated regions - the Western Region, the Urals, Far East and Ukraine. According to the plans of the leadership, each region, even in difficult post-apocalyptic conditions, should have been able to independently produce an inexpensive aircraft to strike at the enemy. This aircraft was supposed to be the Easy-Reproducible Attack Aircraft.

The terms of reference for the LVSh project stipulated the maximum use of elements of the Su-25 aircraft, and since the Design Bureau named after P.O. Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft was designated T-8, then the aircraft being created had the code T-8V (screw). The main work was carried out by the head of the brigade "100-2" Arnold Ivanovich Andrianov, the leading designers N.N. Venediktov, V.V. Sakharov, V.I. Moskalenko. The leader of the topic was E.P. Grunin. Yury Viktorovich Ivashechkin advised the work - until 1983 he was the head of the Su-25 theme, later he moved to work in the 100-2 brigade as a leading designer.
According to the LVSh project, department 100 considered several aerodynamic and structural-power schemes, specialists from the profile departments of the design bureau were widely involved in these works within the framework of integrated teams.

The following options were considered:
1. Basic - using Su-25UB units and systems.
2. According to the "Frame" scheme - according to the type of the North American OV-10 Bronco aircraft.
3. According to the "Triplane" scheme - using the results of design studies and aerodynamic studies of models in SibNIA pipes on the topic S-80 (first version).

1. The first block of draft designs. "Basic" low-wing variant, Su-25 fuselage and cockpit, two turboprop engines.

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4. "Basic" high-wing variant, Su-25 fuselage and cockpit, two turboprop engines. Small PGO is used

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7. Single-engine version of the "basic" one.

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9. Specifications aircraft of the "basic" version.

The T-710 Anaconda project was created according to the type of the American OV-10 Bronco aircraft, only it was almost twice as large. Takeoff weight was assumed to be 7500 kg, empty curb weight 4600 kg, payload weight 2900 kg, and fuel weight 1500 kg. At maximum refueling, the mass of the normal combat load is 1400 kg, including 7 paratroopers. In the overloaded version, it can carry up to 2500 kg of combat load. The aircraft had 8 weapon hardpoints, 4 on the wing and 4 on the pylon under the fuselage. The forward part of the fuselage was taken from the Su-25UB (together with a twin 30 mm GSH-30 cannon), behind the pilot's cabin there is an armored compartment for separating paratroopers. It was supposed to use engines TVD-20, TVD-1500 or other options, with a power of about 1400 hp, engine nacelles were covered with armor, six-bladed propellers. The speed with these engines was supposed to be 480-490 km / h. To improve the speed performance, a variant with two Klimov Design Bureau TV7-117M engines of 2500 hp each was developed. The economic characteristics of the use of these engines, of course, deteriorated, but the speed was supposed to be raised to 620-650 km / h. The machine could be used as a fire support aircraft, in the landing version, as a reconnaissance aircraft, electronic warfare aircraft, fire spotter, ambulance, training, etc. Unfortunately, so far Russian army there is no multi-purpose armored aircraft that would combine these functions.

10. Model of the plane "Anaconda".

11. View of the side landing door and weapons pylon.

12. It was supposed to use the tail booms of the M-55 aircraft.

13. Rear view.

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15. Aircraft T-710 "Anaconda" in three projections

16. "Anaconda" in three-dimensional graphics, some changes are noticeable, especially in the tail unit.

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T-720 is one of the basic draft designs developed under the LVSh program, in total 43 (!!) versions of the aircraft were developed. All of them were similar in aerodynamic layout, but differed in weights, speeds and purposes (attack aircraft, training, combat training). The weight varied from 6 to 16 tons. Most of these aircraft were designed according to the longitudinal triplane with tandem wings and had an unstable aerodynamic configuration. Because of this, it was envisaged to use the SDU ( remote control). It was assumed that 40-50% of the weight of these aircraft would come from composites.
The scheme of the longitudinal triplane was dictated by several considerations:
1. It was necessary to have good handling in all speed ranges.
2. When using the SDU, the ailerons can work as elevons, and you can change the flight altitude without changing the angle of inclination of the SGF (fuselage) to the ground, which is very useful for an attack aircraft (in fact, to go around the terrain without changing the sight).
3. Combat survivability was sufficiently ensured by the triplane scheme, even when shooting a PGO or a stabilizer or part of a wing, there was a chance to return to the airfield.
Armament - 1 cannon from 20 mm to 57 mm cannon in the lower turret (for modification of 16 tons) which could rotate in all directions. The option GSh-6-30 and even GSh-6-45 was considered. Foldable consoles were provided for use in small caponiers for the MiG-21, a salvage cabin, etc.
This aircraft won the LVS competition. The Mikoyan Design Bureau project, also submitted to the LHS competition, turned out to be much weaker.
T-720 had a takeoff weight of about 7-8 tons, maximum speed- 650km.h Weapons and fuel accounted for 50% of the takeoff weight.
2 TV-3-117 engines (2200hp each) were separated by a 25mm titanium plate and worked on one shaft. The screw could be enclosed in a ring to reduce the EPR. At that time, a six-bladed propeller was being developed in Stupino, which could hold several hits of a 20 mm projectile. Its analogue is now on the An-70.
The use of a turboprop engine on a promising attack aircraft was dictated by the following considerations:
1. Small (in relation to jet) fuel consumption.
2. Small noise
3. "Cold" exhaust.
4. TV-3-117 engines are widely used in helicopters.

On the plane, components from mass-produced aircraft were widely used, in particular, the cockpit from the Su-25UB attack aircraft (from L-39 to educational option) and keels from the Su-27. A complete process of purges of the T-720 model was carried out at TsAGI, but interest in the project had already cooled down, despite the support of M.P. Simonov. The modern leadership also gave this development oblivion, despite the fact that there has been a clear trend in the world towards the transition from complex machines of the A-10 type to simpler ones, created on the basis of turboprop trainers, or even on the basis of agricultural turboprop aircraft.

18. T-720 with engines in separate engine nacelles.

19. Interesting fact. Aircraft of the T-8V type (twin-engine type 710 or 720 with simplified avionics) were estimated in 1988 at around 1.2-1.3 million rubles. The T-8V-1 (single-engine) project was estimated at less than 1 million rubles. For comparison, the Su-25 was estimated at 3.5 million rubles, and the T-72 tank at 1 million rubles.

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22. T-720 with single propeller engines.

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26. A little-known variant of the T-720.

One of the projects carried out according to the "longitudinal triplane" scheme was a project of a light educational and training attack aircraft T-502-503, which can be considered as an offshoot of the project 720. The aircraft must provide pilot training for piloting a jet aviation technology. To this end, the propeller and turboprop engine or two engines were combined into one package (project T-502) and placed in the rear fuselage. Double cabin with a common canopy and tandem arrangement of ejection seats. It was supposed to use cabins from the Su-25UB or L-39. Armament weighing up to 1000 kg can be placed on suspension points, which made it possible to use the aircraft as a light attack aircraft.

27. Model aircraft T-502

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The most interesting project multipurpose aircraft T-712 was developed to solve the following tasks:
- operational-tactical, radio and electronic intelligence,
- as a light attack aircraft for striking at enemy targets,
- adjustment of the fire of artillery and rocket units,
- detection and reconnaissance of minefields,
- over-the-horizon target designation for ships and submarines,
- radiation and chemical reconnaissance,
- electronic warfare tool,
- providing data for counter-terrorism operations,
- imitation of threats in the preparation of air defense calculations,
- solution of missile defense issues,
- educational and training,
- collection of meteorological information.
On the basis of the T-712 aircraft, it was possible to create an UAV, long range, with a flight duration of 8-14 hours. Composite materials are widely used in the design. The aerodynamic design of the "triplane" type allows you to fly at high angles of attack without stalling into a tailspin. As an option, the cockpit from the MiG-AT aircraft was considered as the basis for accommodating pilots. It is possible to install engines TVD-20, TVD-1500 or TVD VK-117, with a power of 1400hp. The aircraft used a set of measures to reduce infrared visibility.
The project was not further developed.

30. Float-like containers were used to place cluster bombs, mines, electronic warfare equipment, radars, etc. Several types of containers have been developed.

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35. In addition to the use of fuselages from the Su-25, the use for easily reproduced attack aircraft and others, including helicopter fuselages, was considered.

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38. The project of a heavier aircraft also using the nose of a helicopter.

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40. Further development project LVS began to study the modernization of Su-25 aircraft under the T-8M project. The main idea is to create an aircraft, including for the "special period" with the maximum use of components and assemblies of the Su-25 (UB) and other serial aircraft (helicopters), as in LVSh. The main difference - to increase speed and combat performance - is the use of turbofan engines. A non-afterburner version of the well-known RD-33 engine with a thrust of 5400-5500 kgf was used. A similar version of the engine, called the I-88, was installed on the Il-102. On the first sketches, a project with a high stabilizer. There were projects with low-mounted engines and V-tails.

41. Double option.

42. Larger - reverse device on engines.

43. Front view.

This is where I end my story, although Pyotr Evgenievich periodically pleases by publishing old developments of the "100-2" brigade in computer graphics. So it is quite possible that new publications will appear.

44. For illustration. Attack aircraft projects created in our time based on agricultural machines can also claim the right to be called LVSh.
Air Tractor AT-802i aircraft in the attack version at the Dubai 2013 air show. Photo by Alexander Zhukov. Also in Dubai, an attack aircraft armed with Hellfire missiles based on the Cessna 208 aircraft was shown.

45. Evgeny Petrovich Grunin during tests of the AT-3 aircraft in Borki. June 2009

46. ​​Evgeny Petrovich gives an interview to AeroJetStyle magazine correspondent Sergei Lelekov.

47. Viktor Vasilyevich Zabolotsky and Evgeny Petrovich Grunin.

The Su-39 is a promising Russian attack aircraft, the development of which began at the Sukhoi Design Bureau back in the late 80s. This fighting machine is the result of a deep modernization of the famous "flying tank" - the Soviet Su-25 attack aircraft. And to be even more precise, it was created on the basis of one of the modifications of the aircraft - the Su-25T, designed to destroy enemy tanks and other armored vehicles.

The modernization of the attack aircraft primarily concerned the complex of its electronic equipment. Having received new avionics and an expanded weapon system, the Su-39 attack aircraft has significantly increased its combat capabilities compared to the base model. The Su-39 is even capable of conducting air combat, that is, acting as a fighter.

The Su-39 made its first flight in 1991. Unfortunately, it was never adopted. In 1995, at the aircraft factory in Ulan-Ude, they tried to start small-scale production of this aircraft, in total four attack aircraft were made. It should be noted that the Su-39 is the export name of the aircraft; in Russia, this attack aircraft is called the Su-25TM.

An attempt to start mass production of a new attack aircraft came at an unfortunate time - the mid-nineties. The financial crisis and the almost complete lack of funding from the state buried interesting project. However, many years later, this wonderful machine has not found its way into the sky.

The history of the creation of the Su-39

In the mid-50s, the USSR decided to stop work on the creation of a new Il-40 jet attack aircraft, and its predecessors were withdrawn from service. In an era of rapid development missile weapons and supersonic aircraft, the low-speed armored attack aircraft looked like a real anachronism. However, this was the wrong decision.

In the 60s, it became clear that a global nuclear war was canceled, and for local conflicts, an aircraft was needed that could directly support ground forces on the battlefield. There was no such machine in service with the Soviet army. They tried to solve the problem by equipping existing aircraft with air-to-ground missiles, but they were not very suitable for performing such functions.

In 1968, the designers of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, on their own initiative, began the development of a new attack aircraft. These works led to the creation of the famous Soviet aircraft Su-25, which for its survivability and invulnerability received the nickname "flying tank".

The concept of this aircraft was based on an increase in the survivability of the machine, a wide range of weapons used, as well as simplicity and manufacturability in production. To do this, the Su-25 actively used components and weapons that were developed for other Soviet combat aircraft.

It was planned to install a new Spear-25 radar and sighting system and an improved sighting system for Shkval anti-tank missiles on the Su-25TM.

At the beginning of 1991, the first experimental Su-5TM aircraft took off, its serial production was also planned to be organized at an aircraft factory in Tbilisi.

In 1993, the production of the attack aircraft was transferred to an aircraft factory in Ulan-Ude, the first pre-production aircraft took off in 1995. At the same time, the attack aircraft received its new designation, which today can be called official - Su-39.

For the first time, the new Su-39 attack aircraft was presented to the public at the MAKS-95 aviation exhibition. Work on the aircraft was constantly delayed due to insufficient funding. The third pre-production attack aircraft took to the skies in 1997.

However, the Su-39 was not put into service, the serial production of the machine did not take place. There is a project to upgrade the Su-25T into the Su-39, however, the anti-tank Su-25Ts have also been retired from the Russian Air Force.

Description of the Su-39 attack aircraft

The design of the Su-39 as a whole repeats the design of the Su-25UB attack aircraft, with the exception of some differences. The aircraft is controlled by one pilot, the place of the co-pilot is occupied by the fuel tank and the electronic equipment compartment.

Unlike other modifications of the "flying tank", the gun mount on the Su-39 is slightly offset from the central axis to make room for electronic equipment.

The Su-39, like all other modifications of the Su-25, has an excellent level of protection: the pilot is placed in a cockpit made of special titanium armor that can withstand 30-mm projectiles. The main components and assemblies of the attack aircraft are protected in a similar way. In addition, the cabin has a windshield bulletproof glass and armored head.

The designers paid special attention to the protection of fuel tanks: they are equipped with protectors and surrounded by porous materials, which prevents fuel from splashing out and reduces the likelihood of a fire.

Special painting makes the attack aircraft less visible over the battlefield, and a special radar-absorbing coating reduces the EPR of the aircraft. Even with the defeat of one of the engines, the aircraft may well continue to fly.

As experience has shown Afghan war, even after the defeat of the Stinger MANPADS, the attack aircraft is quite capable of returning to the airfield and making a normal landing.

In addition to armor protection, the survivability of the attack aircraft is provided by the Irtysh electronic countermeasures complex. It includes a radar exposure detection station, a Gardenia active jamming station, a Sukhogruz IR jamming system, and a dipole shooting complex. The dry cargo jamming system includes 192 false thermal or radar targets, it is located at the base of the keel of the Su-39.

The Irtysh complex is capable of detecting all active enemy radars and transmitting information about them to the pilot in real time. At the same time, the pilot sees where the source of radar radiation is located and its main characteristics. Based on the information received, he makes decisions about what to do next: bypass the danger zone, destroy the radar with missiles, or suppress it with active jamming.

Su-39 is equipped with an inertial navigation system with the possibility of optical and radar correction. In addition, it has a satellite navigation system that can work with GLONASS, NAVSTAR. This allows you to determine the location of the aircraft in space with an accuracy of 15 meters.

The designers took care to reduce the visibility of the attack aircraft in the infrared range, this is facilitated by the non-afterburning aircraft engines with a nozzle signature reduced several times.

The Su-39 received a new Spear radar and sighting system, which significantly expanded the combat capabilities of the vehicle. Although this machine was based on an “anti-tank modification” of an attack aircraft, the fight against enemy armored vehicles is not the only task of the Su-39.

This attack aircraft is capable of destroying enemy surface targets, including boats, landing barges, destroyers and corvettes. The Su-39 can be armed with air-to-air missiles and conduct real air combat, that is, act as a fighter. Its tasks include the destruction of front-line aviation aircraft, as well as enemy transport aircraft, both on the ground and in the air.

The main means of destroying tanks and other types of armored vehicles of the enemy of the new attack aircraft are the Whirlwind ATGM (up to 16 units), which can hit targets at distances of up to ten kilometers. Missiles are guided to the target using the round-the-clock sighting system Shkval. The defeat of a Leopard-2 tank with a Whirlwind missile using the Shkval complex is 0.8-0.85.

In total, the Su-39 has eleven nodes for the suspension of weapons, so the arsenal of weapons that it can use on the battlefield is very wide. In addition to the Shkval ATGM, these can be air-to-air missiles (R-73, R-77, R-23), anti-radar or anti-ship missiles, blocks with unguided rockets, free-falling or guided bombs of various calibers and classes.

Characteristics TTX Su-39

Below are the main characteristics of the Su-39 attack aircraft.

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And also for targeted destruction of ground and sea targets.

Stormtrooper- defeat of land and sea targets with the help of small arms and cannon weapons (cannons and machine guns), as well as missiles. This method of destruction is more suitable for striking extended targets, such as clusters and especially marching columns of infantry and equipment. The most effective strikes are against openly located manpower and unarmored vehicles (cars, unarmored tractors and equipment towed by them, railway transport). To accomplish this task, the aircraft must operate at low altitude without diving (“shaving flight”) or with a gentle dive (at an angle of no more than 30 degrees).

Story

Non-specialized types of aircraft, such as conventional fighters, as well as light and dive bombers, can be used as ground attack aircraft. However, in the 1930s, a specialized class of aircraft was allocated for ground attack operations. The reason for this is that, unlike the attack aircraft, the dive bomber only hits point targets; heavy bomber operates from high altitude in terms of areas and large stationary targets - it is not suitable for hitting a target directly on the battlefield, since there is a high risk of missing and hitting your own; a fighter (like a dive bomber) does not have strong armor, while at low altitudes the aircraft is subjected to targeted fire from all types of weapons, as well as to the effects of stray fragments, stones and other dangerous objects flying over the battlefield.

The most massive attack aircraft of the Second World War (as well as the most massive combat aircraft in the history of aviation) was the Il-2 Ilyushin Design Bureau. The next machine of this type, created by Ilyushin, was the Il-10, which was used only at the very end of World War II.

The role of attack aircraft decreased after the appearance of cluster bombs (with which elongated targets are hit more efficiently than from small arms), and also due to the development of air-to-surface missiles (accuracy and range increased, guided missiles appeared). The speed of combat aircraft has increased and it has become problematic for them to hit targets while at low altitude. On the other hand, attack helicopters appeared, almost completely displacing the aircraft from low altitudes.

In this regard, in the post-war period, resistance to the development of attack aircraft as highly specialized aircraft grew in the Air Force. Although close air support for ground forces by aviation remained and remains extremely an important factor modern combat, the main emphasis was on the design of universal aircraft that combine the functions of an attack aircraft.

An example of post-war ground attack aircraft are the Blackburn Buccaneer, A-6 Intruder, A-7 Corsair II. In other cases, attacking ground targets has become the province of converted training aircraft, such as the BAC Strikemaster, BAE Hawk and Cessna A-37.

In the 1960s, both the Soviet and US military returned to the concept of a specialized close support aircraft. Scientists from both countries settled on the similar characteristics of such aircraft - a well-armored, highly maneuverable subsonic aircraft with powerful artillery and missile and bomb weapons. Soviet military settled on the nimble Su-25, the Americans relied on a heavier [ ] Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II . A characteristic feature of both aircraft was the complete lack of funds air combat(although later on both aircraft began to install short-range air-to-air missiles for self-defense). The military-political situation (the significant superiority of Soviet tanks in Europe) determined the main purpose of the A-10 as an anti-tank aircraft, while the Su-25 was more intended to support troops on the battlefield (destruction of firing points, all types of vehicles, manpower , important objects and fortifications of the enemy), although one of the modifications of the aircraft also stood out in a specialized "anti-tank" aircraft.

The role of stormtroopers remains well defined and in demand. In the Russian Air Force, Su-25 attack aircraft will remain in service until at least 2020. In NATO, modified serial fighters are increasingly being offered for the role of attack aircraft, as a result of which double designations are used, such as the F / A-18 Hornet, due to the growing role of precision weapons, which made the previous approach to the target unnecessary. IN Lately in the West, the term "strike fighter" has become widespread to refer to such aircraft.

In many countries, the concept of “attack aircraft” does not exist at all, and aircraft belonging to the “dive bomber”, “front-line fighter”, “tactical fighter”, etc. classes are used for attack.

Stormtroopers now also called attack helicopters.

in NATO countries aircrafts this class denoted by the prefix "A-" (from English Attack) followed by a digital designation (it should be noted that until 1946 the prefix "A-" was also assigned