The Russian Aerospace Forces have deployed at least three new Su-25 warplanes at their airbase in the coastal Syrian town of Hmeimim, a satellite image released by Israel’s ImageSat International on March 15 shows.
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The Su-25 Grach is a single-seat, twin-engine, close air support warplane developed in the USSR by Sukhoi. The warplane’s latest upgrade, the Su-25sm3, is equipped with the advanced tactical EW suite Vitebsk-25, the SOLT-25 day\night electro-optical targeting system, a new encrypted communications system and an updated navigation system.
This type of warplanes was deployed the Hmeimim airbase several times since 2015 to provide the SAA with close air support during its battles against ISIS and other radical groups throughout Syria.
The redeployment of the Su-25 suggests that the Russian Aerospace Forces are about to step up their operations in Syria, likely against the remaining militants in the governorate of Idlib.
Two days ago, warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed several ammo depots of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the city of Idlib. The airstrikes preventing the terrorists group from launching a drone attack. Pro-government activists said that the upcoming days will witness similar aerial operations.
