North Korea Air Force aircraft

[GTX]

I'm sorry. My 30+yrs involved with military aircraft including the maintenance and operation of them and their associated subsystems, including especially things such as engines obviously count for nothing against your so-called "logic". Now excuse me while I go laugh myself silly.

 

[ValiantHeart]

I don't know if Russia still have Su-25s in reserve?

Another Su-25 regiment for North Korea?

 

[Scott Kenny]

I don't know if Russia still have Su-25s in reserve?

I'd be surprised if they didn't have a couple hundred or so in mothballs, but they'd need to be brought up to current (-TM or -SM) standards. Otherwise you'd be flying a plane with 40yo defensive systems into combat, and nobody does that if they have more than 3 brain cells to rub together.

But that also requires having the money and avionics to update the aircraft, both of which are in short supply in Russia.

 

[SK2]

I'd be surprised if they didn't have a couple hundred or so in mothballs, but they'd need to be brought up to current (-TM or -SM) standards. Otherwise you'd be flying a plane with 40yo defensive systems into combat, and nobody does that if they have more than 3 brain cells to rub together.

But that also requires having the money and avionics to update the aircraft, both of which are in short supply in Russia.

And you need to make sure the update doesn't involve equipment supplied by Georgia or Ukraine, which the previous Su-25 upgrades does

 

[Ainen]

Otherwise you'd be flying a plane with 40yo defensive systems into combat, and nobody does that if they have more than 3 brain cells to rub together.

With all due respect, Ukraine does, and it kinda works.
Defensive systems work in context.

And you need to make sure the update doesn't involve equipment supplied by Georgia or Ukraine, which the previous Su-25 upgrades does

no such thing, for a long time.
The problem is that available Russian upgrade is expensive and not exactly the best value for money.

 

[Scott Kenny]

With all due respect, Ukraine does, and it kinda works.
Defensive systems work in context.

And right now at best the Su25s Ukraine has left are flying MLRS units. They're not even doing the intended use of the Su25 as more standoff with precision weapons versus the A-10 down in the weeds with dumb weapons.

 

[Ainen]

And right now at best the Su25s Ukraine has left are flying MLRS units. They're not even doing the intended use of the Su25 as more standoff with precision weapons versus the A-10 down in the weeds with dumb weapons.

They're launching AASMs though.

Which, admittedly, isn't really CAS, but not like su-25sm3 can sustain loss rate over battlefield either, so defensive subsystem ironically doesn't matter.

Preflaring already does most of what's possible.



Ultimately those are finite aircraft, neither US nor USSR produce hundreds per year even in peacetime anymore.

 

[GTX]

versus the A-10 down in the weeds with dumb weapons.

A good way to get shot down and die in the Ukraine environment

 

[Scott Kenny]

A good way to get shot down and die in the Ukraine environment

Probably so, but again, the UkrAF Su25s are not going hunting with precision AGMs, either.

 

[GTX]

Probably so, but again, the UkrAF Su25s are not going hunting with precision AGMs, either.

Actually, I believe the AASMs they have recently been seen with would qualify as a precision AGM.

 

[SK2]

Actually both very original Su-25 and A-10s can be armed with AGMS, in terms of Kh-23/25 and AGM-65 series

 

[Scott Kenny]

Actually both very original Su-25 and A-10s can be armed with AGMS, in terms of Kh-23/25 and AGM-65 series

A-10 could only carry 6x AGM-65s, and was designed around mostly flying around down in the weeds and using the gun as a primary weapon, not an "well, I've used all my missiles time to use guns" last ditch option.

 

[ValiantHeart]

Since North Korea unveiled two domestically developed air-to-air missiles at the 2021 exhibition

I really hope they come up with something like NASAMS or SPYDER.

It would be a perfect replacement for the S-75 and S-125 systems in terms of specification and a complement to the Pongae-6/Byeolchi-1-2 systems in terms of cost and compactness.

In theory, they already had the Kim-Tor/HQ-17 as the advanced short-range, low-altitude air defense system, but the two missile models can also be applied for the similar role.

 

[Tomboy]

Since North Korea unveiled two domestically developed air-to-air missiles at the 2021 exhibition
View attachment 755230
I really hope they come up with something like NASAMS or SPYDER.

It would be a perfect replacement for the S-75 and S-125 systems in terms of specification and a complement to the Pongae-6/Byeolchi-1-2 systems in terms of cost and compactness.

In theory, they already had the Kim-Tor/HQ-17 as the advanced short-range, low-altitude air defense system, but the two missile models can also be applied for the similar role.

Is it me or does the middle strakes sorta of looks like the PL-10

 

[GTX]

I really hope they come up with something like NASAMS or SPYDER.

Why?

 

[BullpupRafale]

Because it can have comparable range while being much lighter along having SARH or ARH seeker and not be non-seeker SACLOS.