The advantages of the Soviet Su-25 “flying tank” over the American A-10

The Soviet Su-25 attack aircraft, referred to as the “flying tank”, has a number of advantages over the similar American A-10 aircraft. 19FortyFive columnist Chris Osborne writes about this.

“US troops … used the A-10, an aircraft known as the “flying tank”. Does the RF Armed Forces have an analogue of the “flying tank”? It seems unlikely, but the Soviet-era Su-25 is a battle-tested workhorse with a long history of supporting ground forces in military conflicts,” notes Osborne.

Both “flying tanks” have similar characteristics – their range is equivalent, they are both well-armed and capable of providing continuous air support. With a wingspan of 14.36m, the Su-25 is smaller than the A-10 but is capable of loading hardpoints with a large payload. The Soviet Su-25, unlike its American counterpart, is also about 4,500 kilograms lighter.

The observer noted that this “drying” is an active participant in military conflicts, including the Afghan and the current Ukrainian one.

Chris Osborne counted about 250 Su-24 aircraft in the Russian Air Force.

“More modern variants have been upgraded with improved technology,” he writes.