ArmInfo.The modernization of the Su-25 attack aircraft operationally available at the Armenian Air Force to the level of the Su-25SM3 will provide Armenia with high quality at a low price. A similar opinion was expressed by the Honored Military Pilot of the Russian Federation, Major General Vladimir Popov during the Moscow-Yerevan online video bridge at the Sputnik Armenia multimedia press center.
To recall, on August 23, the Armenian Defense Ministry and the United Aircraft Corporation signed an agreement on the modernization of the Su-25 attack aircraft in service with the Armenian Armed Forces. Su-25 subsonic attack aircraft were purchased in the 90s in Slovakia, however, the aircraft were not overhauled.
"As a person who flew the Su-25, I can rate this attack aircraft as quite nimble. And its latest version of CM3 is very effective. Equipping with the SOLT-25 optical system allows the attack aircraft to carry out reconnaissance and direct weapons to targets. Moreover, the Su-25 SM3 is equipped with the Glonass system, which turns a conventional aerial bomb into an effective ultra-precise weapon. As far as I understand, these solutions will be incorporated into the Armenian aircraft. The modernized Su-25 is not just an aircraft, it is a system, "the military said.
Answering the question about increasing the role of unmanned aerial vehicles in modern wars, in particular, about their effective use by the Armenian Armed Forces during the latest Azerbaijan aggression on the Tavush direction of the border with Armenia, the general noted that UAVs will certainly help in combat, but in any case will not replace guided aircraft. "Compared to combat UAVs, combat aviation is now becoming a priority all over the world. It is a fact. UAVs can only be effectively used in combination with other means. Moreover, with all the advancement of modern technologies, 100% automated control systems are still a matter of future. It is close, but has not yet happened. The priority remains with the strike aircraft>, the Russian general concluded.