- Su-39 and Su-25T should receive a thermal imaging container (1st generation)
- No, despite the existence of this container in life it should not be on a plane for 70 euros
The Su-25T and Su-39 are potentially the most interesting attack aircraft in the USSR. They were created in the 90s, when the economy was in a very bad shape, but they offered very interesting ideas, and it’s a shame they were abandoned.
The Su-39 was designed precisely as an all-weather aircraft, capable of performing the task in difficult conditions. For this purpose, it was designed with the “Kopye-25” radar and another under-the-radar container, which for some reason is missing in the game.
It is the “Khod/Kinzhal” (“Move/Dagger” in English) container. This is a thermal imaging container (the first in the USSR), combined with Kinzhal Millimeter-wave range radars, designed to guide ATGMs through smoke, dust, and other obstacles. However, apparently this radar could not be used to guide R-27s, unlike “Kopye-25” radar (correct me if this is wrong).
The “Khod” system was developed by the Central Design Bureau “Geophysics” according to the decision of the MIC of August 1984.
It’s hard to find exact data on thermal imager performance, but in the game we have all thermal imaging cameras implemented rather crudely.
Obviously, it was a 1st generation thermal imager, of no better quality than the Tornado or the Harrier.
Radar station “Kinzhal”: This radar was developed by NPO “Leninets” of the USSR Ministry of Radioprom according to decision of MIC of August 1983.
The Su-25TM (Su-39) (tail number 10, technical name T8-М10) was presented with a container like that at the 92 Mosaeroshow (1992). Subsequently the Su-39 was usually presented with the Kopye-25 radar
It seems to me that the Su-39 (as well as the Su-25T after modifications) should have the “Kod/Kinzhal” container, because their high combat rating requires a thermal imager. almost all attack aircraft at 11.3+ (Tornado, Harrier gr 7, Mirage 2000D) have thermal imagers.
I know the USSR had problems with thermal imagers, but this is literally one of the only opportunities to see a thermal camera on pre-2000 aircraft and it should be taken advantage of.
It seems to me that thermal imaging cameras are no longer a luxury, but a necessity, because in a duel against SAMs you need to locate the target as quickly as possible. On a Su-39 it’s very difficult to do that.
It is important to note that the addition of this container is not strictly an improvement, but an option, because the “Kopye-25” also has its own features (especially if one day we see the R-27)
Finally, I would add that I think the Su-25T should become the Su-25TM and get openable modifications in the form of the Spear-25 and Khod/Kinzhal container.
The Su-39 costs $70\euro and does not offer any new missiles (the X-29T and X-25ML were already in the game, and missiles like the X-25MT and X-25MTP (which are image-guided X-29s like the X-29T) have not been added). It seems that the top premium vehicles should have more cool unique equipment to justify the price.
Now the Su-39 is a difficult airplane to control and implement, with a lot of keys and details you need to know to counter the SAM.
Below I will give a lot of pictures and book clippings:
references:
- 1/98 MIESIECZNIK Nowa Technika Wojskowa
- Su-25 Frogfoot in action ISBN 0-89747-287-X
- Sukhoi Frogfoot Su-25, Su-28 and Su-39
- PIOTR BUTOWSKI - MONOGRAFIE LOTNICZE SU-25 SU-34
- SUKHOI Su-25 FROGFOOT -ALEXANDER MLADENOV
- Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot The Soviet Union’s Tank-Buster - Yefim Gordon
- Su-25 ‘FROGFOOT’ UNITS IN COMBAT - Alexander Mladenov
- ВОЙНА В ВОЗДУХЕ Cy-25 «Грач» №95
- Виктор Марковский, Игорь Приходченко Штурмовик Су-25 «Грач» БРОНИРОВАННЫЙ НАСЛЕДНИК ИЛ-2
КРЫЛАТЫЙ УНИВЕРСАЛ СУ-25ТМ | МОДЕЛИСТ-КОНСТРУКТОР
