IRL What are Modern Su-25s Like?

[percivaldanvers]

So we have two Su-25s in the sim, one a late 80s era A and one T from the mid 90s. I've been getting into these aircraft in a big way for the first time in four years of DCS, and finding I really love both. I was surprised/disappointed to learn that the Su-25T was only produced in extremely limited numbers and is basically not in use anywhere anymore.

I don't expect we'll ever see an Su-25SM or any of more modern Frogfoots in sim, but I'm curious what they would be like. Would it basically be like an Su-25T (in terms of avionics and HUD updates) without the Shvkal? The Su-25A seems appropriate for a late cold war threat environment, but doing that manual laser designation through the HUD seems fairly suicidal against modern threats. Do modern Su-25s use targeting pods or anything to replace the Shkval? 

[razo+r]

Looks like current Su-25 seem to be a mix of many things. Some are old some are new but they have one in comon, a tablet/ipad and lots of unguided rockets.

For example at 1:07 one with an old style HUD and at 1:30 one with new style HUD but without "UFC".

 

At 1:16 one with new HUD and "UFC"

[percivaldanvers]

Interesting! It does indeed look like the old cockpit with an updated HUD. I get a laugh out of those iphones glued on. I guess it falls under the category of "if it's stupid and it works it's not stupid" 

It's interesting how they do a popup for those rocket attacks, like they're lofting them. 

[percivaldanvers]

I guess what I should be asking and where I'm going with this thread is this: Which of the two Su-25s we have is closest to the experience of flying a modern one that would be in service today? Obv the A has the airframe, but the T has the modern HUD that it seems like the newer ones use. Would it basically be like using a T without the Shkval? 

[Ironhand]

2 hours ago, percivaldanvers said:

I guess what I should be asking and where I'm going with this thread is this: Which of the two Su-25s we have is closest to the experience of flying a modern one that would be in service today? Obv the A has the airframe, but the T has the modern HUD that it seems like the newer ones use. Would it basically be like using a T without the Shkval? 

Probably neither. The avionics might be closer to the “T” but aircraft handling would be closer to the “A”.