Russian engineers have developed a system which ensures 100% protection against the heat-seeking warheads of Stinger and Igla MANPADS.
On February 3, a Russian Su-25 was shot down by a handheld anti-aircraft missile while on an observation mission over the Idlib de-escalation zone in Syria. The pilot managed to eject, but surrounded by militants on the ground, blew himself up to evade capture.
The new defense-system will be installed on the Su-25SM3 ground attack planes, whose combat efficiency will be three times better than what the previous workhorse Su-25s had to offer.
The system is currently available on all Russian Ka-52 helicopter gunships and Mil-8 rotorcraft currently deployed in Syria. It proved its reliability in October 2016 when a Mil-8 helicopter remained immune to an attack by a shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missile.
With the Vitebsk system in place, the Su-25SM3 will be able to engage in dogfights in addition to its primary task of taking out targets on the ground.
The Su-25SM3 will reportedly carry more advanced on board missiles, including self-homing ones, as well as smart bombs.
Additionally, the new jet will boast a wide range of speeds – from almost 1,000 km an hour (621 miles an hour) down to 100 km (62 miles) without stalling!
Sputnik / AA-Magnum News 2018.
Smart move?
Good move, no terrorists with western supplied rockets that can blow them out of the sky?
Another improvement to get those Zionist warmongers out of Syria?
Nobody can stop Russia, once it decided to take steps in a certain direction.