Sukhoi Astra

[Matej]

For a long time I was hearing rumours about "Sukhoi Astra" It was described as light stealthy attack plane, something in MiG-37 Ferret or Sukhoi T12 category. Should it have connection to the 12th prototype of Su-25 (T-8-12), that had radar absorbent gum on the fuselage to reduce RCS?

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Is that in the MiG-37 "Ferret" category of "competely fictitious aircraft?"

;D

 

[Matej]

I know that MiG-37 Ferret is pure fiction, but fiction based on something. When I was younger, I heared (from non official sources), that MiG-37 was sophisticated desinterpretation of Sukhoi Astra project. Not governmental cover, but guys from Testors heared something, they added something and the consequence was MiG-37. So I am searching if Sukhoi Astra has some connection or similarity to this RAM equipped Su-25 prototype.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Well, physically the tail area of the MiG-37 looks a bit like the Sukhoi T-12.

 

[Vahe Demirjian]

The Astra research program is mentioned on page 16 of Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot by Alexander Mladenov and Adam Tooby (https://www.amazon.com/reader/1782003592?_encoding=UTF8&query=astra), which states that the Su-25 prototype T8-11 was used in the Astra research program.