Su-25 “grach”

Su-25 “Grach”

The first experience of modern civil war has accumulated, of course, in Afghanistan. And he immediately showed a lack of effectiveness of aviation. In addition to the unpreparedness of the pilots and shortcomings of tactics, the nature of counterinsurgency war weakly consistent with the planes themselves. Fighter-bombers, created for the European theater, was not to turn to mountain canyons, and their sophisticated sighting and navigation equipment-virtually useless when searching for the enemy’s barely noticeable. Features aircraft remained unclaimed, and the impact of their blows – low.

Suitable found only Su-25 – maneuverable, obedient to the government, well-armed and protected. In the spring of 1980 he was the first prototype of T-8-1D and T-8-3 were tested in Afghanistan, “in an environment as close to the fighting, which received the code” Operation “diamond.” In the course of working out the aircraft and weapons pilots N. Sadovnikov, A. Ivanov (from the Sukhoi Design Bureau), V. Soloviev, and VA Music (Research Institute of the Air Force) completed exactly 100 flights, 30 of which were credited in the program of state tests. led a group of vice. Chief of the Air Force Institute of V. Alferov, and his deputy was a leading designer of OKB aircraft Yu Ivashechkin. As a result of testing the plane in Afghanistan was commended by the military, and barely completed a testing program in February 1981 started the formation of the first drill of the Su-25 – 80 — On a separate assault aviation regiment (OSHAP) in Sita Chae on the Caspian coast, 65 km from Baku. The proximity of the manufacturer, simplified the development of machines and problems associated with the start of operation. ZakVO a nearby landfill was intended to help pilots master the flying in mountainous terrain — It’s no secret that part of being prepared for shipment to Afghanistan. The first 12 Sukhoi Su-25 regiment received in April. At first, “Humpbacked Horse” on the plump wheels did not cause any enthusiasm among the pilots, and not from distrust of new technology: moving to attack, they were deprived of “supersonic” rations and salary increases.

(Humpbacked Horse “- the nickname of Su-25 managed to obtain from the Minister of Aviation Industry PV Dementieva). The need for a Su-25 was very high, and flew 28 April 1981 at Sita Tea Deputy Air Force Commander Alexander Efimov set a task: to urgently prepare for work in Afghanistan squadron based on the available machines. The commander of the 200-th separate attack squadron (OSHAE) was appointed deputy commander of the regiment on the flight training AM Afanasyev. To speed up the retraining brought test pilots and instructors Lipetsk combat training center of the Air Force – “high school” pilots, as part of acceptance tests and configuration of the onboard equipment is “half-baked” vehicles carried on the polygon NII VVS with rich control and the test base and knowledgeable .

19 July 1981 200 Squadron, which was being coded as “Operation” Exam “(also known as” Operation “diamond-2″) has arrived in Afghanistan. The venue chosen based Shindand, a major air base, has been run in the Su-25 during tests in 1980 Shindand was in relatively calm compared to central and eastern provinces, district, and among other Afghan airfield was considered lowland – its nearly three-kilometer Betonka situated at a height 1150 m and was more than sufficient for the Su-25.

Storming Shindandskoy air base was to support the troops stationed in these places, Soviet 5 th Infantry Division, which was then commanded by Colonel B. Gromov, paratroopers 103rd Division and 21 Infantry Brigade of government troops. To combat the work of Su-25 started a few days after arrival. At this time there was fighting for the mountain range Lurkoh near Shindand – vysivsheesya among the bare plains impassable pile of rocks and boulders, it takes several tens of square kilometers. Created by the very nature of the fortress was the base camp, where the enemy raided the nearby roads and military posts. The approaches to Lurkohu defended minefields, rock and concrete fortifications, and literally every kink gorge and trails covered firing points. Using invulnerable, the enemy began to use Lurkoh and as a command post, where the assembled leaders of the neighboring militants. Repeated attempts to capture the rock mass had no success: promotion of inland seen a hurricane of fire, the troops blocked in the narrow gorges and suffered losses. Command has decided to abandon attacks “in the forehead, moving to a powerful daily bombardments, which have forced the enemy to leave their camp. Outside Lurkoh surrounded by dense minefields, mines periodically filled with air passages and paths within the array.

To assess the effectiveness of attack aircraft arrived in Afghanistan a military pilot, Major General Aviation V. fancy man, who had instructed the Air Force Commander personally assess the results of strikes Su-25. After another couple of helicopters flying Khakhalova went deep Lurkoha. Back to the general was not returned. The helicopter was shot down and crashed near the base of the enemy. Death Khakhalova forced to change the course of the operation – the assault Lurkoha dropped paratroopers to get to the center of the fortified area to pick up the general’s body and killed him with the pilots. After a week of fighting, which cost the life of another eight people, troops occupied the base and blew up its capacity and, once again mined the entire area, had left him.

Attack Aircraft 200 th OSHAE participated in the struggle for Herat, is 120 miles north of Shindand and became a center of opposition to the west of the country. Here she acted directly in the city, dividing it into spheres of influence and fighting not only with government troops, but also among themselves. Here were strong points, stockpiles of weapons and ammunition, and Su-25 had to strike right in the town quarters and given intelligence homes. Plenty of work and around Herat – the endless green zone and the adjacent valley Geriruda, abundant and rich sites, fed all the western areas. Plied in the province of Herat and Farah support orders were numerous villages, supplied the Mujahideen food and replenishment. Immediately they found rest and lodging, receiving weapons from nearby bases in Iran. The most prominent of the local commanders had Turan Ismail, a former army captain, went over to the mujahedeen after the April revolution. Military experience, literacy and demands quickly enabled him to become a local emir, in whose hands the seven provinces and the army of five thousand fighters. Under the guise of “green fodder” – the vast thicket of bushes, orchards and vineyards – the Mujahideen were chosen for the location of military units and convoys looted and burned after the attack instantly dissolved in the surrounding villages, and to find them in these places, especially from the air, it was not easier than in the mountains. In the air hung over the valleys, constantly rising to 1500 meters dusty shroud, the visibility and already a few miles concealed targets. The season of dust storms and the incident of the hot desert “Afghans” escape from it has not been anywhere, and under hatches and the hoods were returning attack aircraft nabivshuyusya scraped out handfuls of dust and sand. It is especially difficult accounted engines – the sand, like sandpaper, chewing blades of compressors, and revenues to +52 ° heat made it difficult to run. To help suffocating starters, shrewd aviators used a kind of evaporative cooling, spilling into each intake has a couple of cups of water. There have been cases where when running in hot weather to stick tightly to the onboard elektrorazemu “fork” the AAA, in its rush to cut lying ready with an ax and the plane flew away with hanging cable scrap.

Search the enemy takes time, and to increase the duration of the flight had to perform most tasks with a pair of overhead tanks PTB-800 (Su-25 was intended to work in front-line, and with its own supply of fuel it does not exceed the range of 250-300 km). Since September 1981 the planned military operations began in Kandahar in the south are also included in the zone of responsibility 200 th OSHDE. The second largest city of Afghanistan, an ancient center of trade and crafts, occupied an important strategic position to monitor all the southern direction. In Kandahar were the main roads and caravan routes, including the only country in the mainstream highway linking all major cities and a horseshoe encircling the country. Attractive to a mujahideen and the proximity of Kandahar to the Pakistan border. 70 Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Soviet troops, sent to Kandahar, was immediately drawn into the endless fighting, which depended on the situation on the roads and the situation in the city. Numerous detachments, settled in a continuous “brilliant green” around the city, sometimes for weeks blocked the garrison, not missing in Kandahar single machine. One they had no control, and military operations against the various factions in the city, its suburbs and along the roads followed continuously. From the north to Kandahar approached the mountain Maiwand, where the strongholds of the Mujahideen served as a fortress, preserved since the times of wars with the British.

In mountain canyons especially useful high maneuverability Su-25. The cross-fire from the heights Mezhgore turned into a trap for the soldiers included in them, not always able to pull artillery and tanks, and came to the aid of ground attack. In the narrow stone bags, which did not venture down other planes, plunged Su-25, stopping at the target along the gorge, or, if permitted width, sliding down along a slope and literally crawled out of the attack on another. In the Black Mountains, north-west of Kandahar, one of the pilots of 200 th OSHDE in October 1981 failed to quell the firing point, hidden in the rocks at the end of a long winding valley. Attempts to bomb it from above to no avail, and the Su-25 had to enter into a dark failure, maneuvering, shoot at him, and causing a good ball, a steep reversal of fighting to get out.

Small radius of the turn of Su-25 (450-500 m) had been helping the pilots in the construction of the attack: finding purpose, attacker could immediately cool dovernut at her, and when you will return – bends, without losing sight of the enemy, and seek cost-wasting ammunition. Pilots of high-speed Su-17 and MiG-21, turning for another attack, often can not again find your purpose, “devoid of clear signatures.

On other machines, Su-25 are highly advantageous landing qualities that provide a large area of the wing and his powerful mechanization. Attack aircraft and the maximum combat payload, which amounted to 4000 kg, enough for takeoff 1200-1300 m, while stationed in Shindand Su-17 has a ton of bombs blast off until the very end of the strip. Finding purpose, attack aircraft attacked her NAR, RBC, high explosive and fragmentation bombs. In the lowlands, often used bombs caliber 100 and 250 kg, sufficient for the destruction of adobe buildings in the mountains, abounding in natural cover, it becomes necessary demolition power “pyatisotok” (they are also frequently used in the “winter” outfit options, when cooling with improved load-bearing properties of the aircraft and they could carry more bombs caliber without significant deterioration. Maximum version of the eight FAB-500 was not exceptional, are often suspended until 22FAB-100 on mnogozamkovyh holders MBD2-67u. In the green areas and villages where you are, what to burn used incendiary tanks and bombs. gelled for “Tack-free” mixture of gasoline and kerosene tank semitones ZB-500GD laying fiery carpet covering 1300 Q2, and equipment ZAB, moreover, included ognesmesyu soaked rags, fly around and raises many new fires.

Widely used high-explosive NAR C-5M and C-5MO of 32-charging units UB-32-57. One salvo they were laying up to 200-400 m2, depriving the enemy of one of the major advantages – the ability to hide and disperse quickly in the locality. On target usually makes 2-3 call, sending a dive to 8.12 in the volley of missiles. During the flight, with the blocks should take into account the significant increase in resistance: even when the suspension of four UB-32-57 it increased by almost half, attack worse than listen to the rudders, settle at the output of a dive, losing altitude and speed, and could fall on the wing – a feature that is not was with bombs, their discharge immediately freed the plane to maneuver.

Small-caliber NAR gradually replaced with more powerful 80 mm S-8, have been applied in different ways: P-8M with increased fragmentation effect, P-8BM with a solid heavy warheads, crumbled rock wall and the firing points, and P-8DM containing a liquid explosive, from which the enemy did not save any shelter, after a missile strike fog would cover the objective of explosives, stealing into the nooks villages and mountain crevices and hitting the most secluded places a continuous cloud explosion.

The same effect had the “Raven” – body-detonated bombs Odaba-500П on power triple that of equal caliber fugaski. Deaf cotton – explosion Odaba swept buildings within a radius of 20-25 m, and depths of blowing hot blast all life. Objectives for Odaba had to pick only in the valleys – in the discharged air and oxygen-poor highlands explosion weakened, losing force. In hot weather or high wind, when a cloud of tiny droplets quickly dissipate, losing to the desired concentration of the explosion, using “cocktails” – a combination of Odaba with smoke bombs, thick smoke which gave no aerosol scatter. The best results gave the ratio of pairs DAB-500 six Odaba-500П on a plane or in the same proportion in the shock group.

Odaba widely used to prepare the ground for landing helicopter assault: suitable landing sites could be mined, and ground cleared their blows Odaba, detonate the mines on the vast area.

Heavy NAR C-24 with high precision characteristics (2000-m missiles fit into the 7-8 m range) and a powerful high-explosive fragmentation effects have been the weapon of choice of pilots, well suited to deal with a variety of purposes. Su-25 carried up to 8 missiles and could keep them with different types of maneuvers, with a gentle and almost a steep dive. At point goals – machine-gun nests and machines caravan attack aircraft fired cannon onboard GSH-2-30. With powerful projectile and a high rate of instruction recommended odnosekundnymi firing short bursts of 50 armor-piercing explosive and high-explosive shells. Mass of the volley was 19.5 kg / sec, but the pilots tried to shoot the goal of “guaranteed” polosnuv to her long line, and often after 2-3 clicks on the button combat remained empty.

On flat terrain well proved himself an automatic sight-TSA 17BTS-8, through which the shooting was carried out of a cannon, firing rockets and bombing. Pilots were required to hold only an object of attack in marketing the sight, which is automatic using a laser rangefinder takes into account the distance to the goal, amendments to the height, speed, air temperature and ballistics ammunition at the right moment alone dropping bombs. Application of TSA gave very high-quality results, and the pilots even argued for the right to fly to attack aircraft with a well-adjusted and well-targeted. In the mountains, its reliability was reduced – with sharp drops in altitude and difficult terrain calculator sight could not cope, “losing his head” and giving too many blunders. In these cases had to fight the fire, using the DSP as usual collimating sight, and bombs were dropped by hand, “because our hearts.”

Respect for the pilots deserve thought-out defense systems, basic components and most cabins Su-25. Its titanium bronekorob and frontal armored bullets could not penetrate the small arms and DShK, and on the sides of the Su-25 met blurred traces of bullets. Attack aircraft are well kept stroke – pilot A. Lavrenko, receiving flak over the Panjshir in the tail, came almost entirely from a broken traction control, from which was less than 1.5 mm of metal. Managed to hang on to the airfield and Major G. Garus, whose bullets struck DShK right through the engine and completely wrecking the hydraulic system.

At the 200 th OSHDZ in Shindand ever was a team of specialists and factory workers EDO accompanying the operation (in fact, military trials of Su-25) and held in place the necessary changes and improvements, primarily to expand the flight restrictions that affect the combat environment. During the 15 months of ground-attack 200-OSHDE, carrying more than 2000 sorties and had no combat deaths, but in December 1981 because it exceeds the permitted speed dive crashed Captain A. Dyakov (a situation aggravated discharge of a bomb with only one extreme pylon after which the aircraft was drawn to the roll, the pilot was unable to align the car, and she glided on the wing, crashed into a mountainside). Under these same circumstances, was almost killed G. Garus, but this time the pilot had enough height for the output. Another Su-25 was lost due to the fact that at takeoff jammed elevator. Airplane with combat stress was “to pour down and the pilot had to eject. Pilots noted and the lack of effectiveness of air brakes, the area that was not enough for a dive – the Su-25 continued to be dispersed, losing the stability and trying to roll over on his back. These shortcomings were eliminated in the subsequent series aircraft and later entered the boosters in the aileron system, redundant mechanical turning the front wheel landing gear for the possibility of “foot” of control when taxiing, have improved the fuel system and improved the life of the engine. Because of the strong impact of the gun when firing fixture is required to increase gun and “crackling” design elements. Have made, and many small improvements in performance, simplify and accelerate the preparation of the aircraft, but on the bright side inflicted stencils, reminiscent of its order.

The disadvantages of the aircraft carried a low reliability of the radio electronics and, above all, automatic compass ARK-15 radio and navigation RSBN-6C. When you had to choose jobs in the squadron aircraft with more or less well-functioning equipment, which served as a leader for the group. The real enemy onboard electronics has become gun – a powerful shake now and then leads to failure of REO, knocking out power from the network.

As a result of “Operation” exam “and noted the high labor costs to equip the Su-25 weapons. Charge 250 rounds to the gun takes 40 minutes in two gunsmiths and was very inconvenient: they had at work to kneel prodergivaya massive tape in the compartment above your head. Availability of ground facilities has always been considered a secondary issue (though it is difficult to attribute to the shortcomings of the aircraft itself), trolleys and hoists for weapon worked very badly, were unreliable, and prepares attack technicians had to manually drag and drop bombs and missiles, with contriving to suspend a soldier’s ingenuity even a half-ton bombs, the benefit of pylons were not very high (even in the design of the Su-25 designers took into account this “insoluble problem” and to indicate whether the position of piers in the light of the fact that a person can lift a heavy load only on the level of the chest). Approximately the same changed the worn wheel, literally burning mountain airfields. “Bald” tires were piled high all around, but the procedure is often performed without jacks and keep things simple: on the wing attack aircraft climbed a few people, other wing lifted, propping up the bottom of some boards, the wheel hanging in the air and is easily removed. Inspected the work of 200 OSHDE in Shinand several times flew Chief Marshal SP Kutakhov, personally oversaw the Su-25.

By October 1982, Operation “Exam is over. By this time the fighting was already all over Afghanistan. Run indication Soviet Defense Minister Sokolov – “finally destroy the counter-revolution to the November 7″ – alas, could not, in fact, a memorandum of Staff TurkVO noted: “… military and political situation deteriorated almost everywhere … and become extremely severe, even in some of those areas where previously there were no major gangs and because of geographical features are no favorable conditions for their activity (in the north, the plains and the border with the USSR areas) “. Some operations have grown into full-scale war, and dozens of combat aircraft, transferred first to Afghanistan, was clearly not enough. Air grouping needed to strengthen, and Su-25,-cut to the measure of the Afghan war, to become a media machine.

In place of 200 who returned from OSHAE Sita Tea came second squadron, Major B. Hanarina, a year later it was replaced by the next, and by one squadron of 80 shifts OSHAP continued to operate in Afghanistan until October 1984 when it was formed 378 OSHAP, who took command of Lieutenant-Colonel A . Bakushev. Two of his first squadron deployed to Bagram and then another one in Kandahar. If necessary, the Su-25 were moved closer to operations and operating from the airport of Kabul and airfields Mazar-e Sharif and Kunduz in the north. Seating in the terminal parking is no longer enough, and their immediate complement prefabricated corrugated bands, hundreds of tons delivered to the base. During major operations, requiring the concentration of air forces, and became close to them, and roll his aircraft on the ground along the taxiway, leaving only the concrete front wheel to the air intakes are not sucking sand and gravel.

Su-25 attack helicopters were replaced completely support the troops in areas with excess of 2500-3000 m, where the order had to work near the ceiling at full capacity. For greater efficiency began to use support from the “duty in the air”; encountering resistance, the infantry could immediately focus on the firing point of attack aircraft circling nearby. Area waiting for the Su-25 under the terms of the safety of defense and “supervision” of terrain imposed on the height of 3000-3500 meters, and her departure was carried out on schedule or on a team with a manual, keep in touch with ground units.

In striking a blow against mixed Air Group Su-25 was assigned the role of the main strike force. Using a highly secure, they worked at a target with low altitudes (approximately 600-1000 m) and more vulnerable, and Su-17 fighters, which served as protection only speed and maneuver, went into the attack, not lower than 2000-2500 m (usually they have been engaged reconnaissance, target designation and suppression of air defenses). Air controllers stressed the orderly attack attack aircraft, the power of their impact and the ability to “spot work”. In their assessment, each Su-25 do better than link, and even eight Su-17. Who became chief of combat training FA AV Bakushev said: “Everything came a convoy of ammunition, went primarily for the Su-25. They have to spend more efficiently and by appointment. “Nickname” Rook “, originally served as a radio call in attack aircraft” operations “Rhombus”, Su-25 is fully justified in its ability to find and peck “prey, like this industrious bird.

Especially effective manner, working together and ground attack helicopter, had time to study the low-altitude terrain, and better focus in the area of impact. A pair of Mi-8, circling over the target, conducted reconnaissance and Su-25 indicated the location of enemy flares and tracer machine-gun bursts. The first to appear 2-4 target aircraft, which suppress the RBC and anti-aircraft NAR point. After these couple – link the Mi-24 purified from the surviving pockets of the area air defense, opening the way for the shock team of Su-25 and helicopter gunships, attacked by one or two links. If demanded by the circumstances, the blow struck by the full squadrons (of 12 Su-25 and Mi-24) for more convincing. ” Su-25 performed several visits from a height of 900-1000 meters, after which they were immediately replaced helicopters, seeking purpose and leaving no chance to survive the enemy (as often happens in raids fast fighter-bombers, in a moment swept over the target). The task of the helicopters were coming out from cover and attack ground attack aircraft, and those in turn come to life again to hit the firing point. Teamwork attack and army aviation gave a good performance shocks while reducing its own losses.

Forces of the group on Feb. 2, 1983 conducted an operation in the province of Mazar-i-Sharif, where they were captured and killed by Soviet specialists, who worked at the local plant of nitrogenous fertilizers. Kishlak Vahshak, which hosted the gang attacked four Su-25, it was supported link Mi-24 helicopters and six Mi-8, blocked off the village and gave no enemy to withdraw from the blow. At the village collapsed two Odaba-500П, ten tons of conventional high-explosive bombs and missiles forty S-8, after which he practically ceased to exist.

Similar operations were carried out and the return of prisoners or downed pilots. Discourage them could only force, and from the nearest village held a demonstration BSHU. Invitation to dialogue seemed quite convincing, and, if the prisoners were still alive after the first strikes local elders went to the talks, agreeing to return them, if only the planes were recalled. Diplomacy Storm Troopers, in exchange for the captured mujahideen, and even purchase, during the years of war have been returned from captivity 97.

Most combat load and ability to penetrate hard to reach areas made Su-25 main engine for mining from the air, is widely used for locking the enemy’s bases, and rapid freezing, “strenozhivavshem Gang emergent minefields while trying to escape from the area of operation. Minefields Su-25 closed the passes, plunging into ravines, covered their tracks and trails in the mountains. Typically, the Su-25 carried a 2.4 container KMG-U, each of which had a capacity of 24 antipersonnel fragmentation mines, “frog” POM or explosive PFM in the container blocks BC, implementing them are dropped. The methods used and the tiny “protivopaltsevye” mines, the size of a little more than a nail, completely invisible under your feet. They charge just enough to cause a small wound and immobilize benefited, and blood loss and almost complete lack of doctors made his position hopeless. Mining the Su-25 carried at a speed of 700-750 km / h from a height of 900-1000 meters, and for more dense “seed” on the paths and roads decreased to 300-500 m. In 1984, the share of the Su-25 had 80% of all missions on mine-laying, 14% made a helicopter and another 6% – pilots IBA.

Preventing the movement of armed groups in the Su-25 carried the stone ledges and trails, bombed the gorge, making them impassable. Ability to work accurately Su-25 was used in November 1986 under Dsadabadom, which were found thrown over the gorge suspension bridges, led out to the shelter in the mountains of warehouses. Bomb them from above could not be – thin strings of the bridges were hiding in the depths of the gorge – and four Su-25 Major K. Tchuvil’sky, falling between the looming stone walls, bridges hit by bombs in the blank.

Su-25 and went on “hunting”. Her areas of the pilots indicated according to the Intelligence Staff, 40 Army, where information flowed daily from parts, outposts, special forces brigade, received data aerial and space reconnaissance. With the advent of the mujahideen have connected radios deployed on the ground and means of electronic intelligence – complexes radio intercept and direction finding “Tara”, equipment that is placed on the basis of the five MT-brow. “Tara” allow pinpoint the location dushmanskih radios, and experienced “listener” and interpreters literally from first-hand information about the intentions of the enemy. The information was invaluable, and intelligence officer were ready almost to supply the mujahideen to the walkie-talkie batteries when they ebbed and audibility worse. Thanks to an established intelligence work 40 Army and the Afghan Khad ( “service public information” (WAD) – Afghanistan’s state security), took his people with the locals, often able to learn in advance about the time and path of the caravan with their weapons and leaving gangs and intercept them became literally a matter of technique.

Fly on the “hunting” ground attack aircraft, in addition to binding PTB, usually take a universal version – a couple of blocks NAR U6-32-57 (or B-8M), and two bombs caliber 250-500 kg. The best conditions for “hunting” were created in the plain, which allowed to attack from any direction immediately after the detection of the target. To the surprise attack and strokes practiced with extremely low altitudes (50-150 m) using the special assault bombs fitted with brake parachutes, allowed the aircraft to escape from its own fragments. This attack caught the enemy by surprise and did not give him time to open return fire, but it was very difficult for a pilot, quickly tired of rushing to meet a flight over the terrain, every minute expecting the emergence of goal. On the “hunt” went the most experienced pilots, who were able to orient themselves in an unfamiliar area, locate and identify the object of attack.

Since the autumn of 1985 a “hunt” conducted at night, although the Su-25 and had no special sighting equipment. All refinement was to install anti-reflection panel near the landing lights, so they are not blinded the pilot. In the moonlit night in winter, and treated without the aid of the SAB – on snow-covered mountain passes and excellent fields could be seen any movement and even worn following, the output to the shelter and a place to sleep. Prowl in the dark caravans (camels and horses were replaced by jeeps, mostly Japanese Nissan and Toyota, the respect for endurance and reliability), pretended to light lamps, which, and was hit. Finding purpose in the mountain the fold, where during the day was not easy to just put the bomb, “hunters” practice strike powerful fugaskami above the slope, under the roar of the collapse of the enemy’s funeral under tons of stones. Darkness in the night attack aircraft safely hide from anti-aircraft fire, but required, and increased attentiveness in order not to face a mountain (as in the winter in 1985 killed on the Su-25 Lieutenant Baranov).

Providing wiring convoys, Su-25 BSHU knocked dushmanskie ambush with dominant heights, not allowing them to run for a position and fire vehicles. (From the report stormtrooper A. Pochkina: “By acting in pairs along the road north of the town of Gardez, discovered on a mountain top rocket launcher with the calculation that led attack columns tanker, and destroyed one of its bombing”). In August 1985, the supply to the provincial center Checgharan 250 Soviet and hundreds of Afghan trucks, accompanied by four battalions of mechanized infantry, tanks and artillery battery cover for 32 planes and helicopters. Clearing the way for the column, for six days they have destroyed 21 fire-point and more than 130 people.

Of particular importance in organizing the attacks became clear leadership and command and control, requiring reliable radio communications. Without it, the pilots could not coordinate his actions with its neighbors and air controllers, without the “hints” that it was not easy to get to the place of impact, lost in the chaos of mountains and monotonous plains. Dropped, the aircraft disappeared behind the mountains from the screens and circular view of the air, forcing the leaders of flights swear: “A strong Red Army, but it will destroy us.” To ensure continuous radio communications in the air began to raise the aircraft transponders An-26RT, clock hanging in the sky over the area of impact. In carrying out major operations, when required special cohesiveness and preparedness actions while working in a vast area of large groups of aircraft (as was the summer of 1986, during the destruction of the base-arsenal at Herat), Afghanistan appeared over the manual flying and IL-22, equipped with a powerful on-board complex control and communication, capable of working an entire Air Force. Sami Su-25 equipped with a special VHF radio R-828 for communication with ground troops in the line of sight.

With the increasing number of firings and sabotage the Su-25 since the spring of 1985 began to attract to patrol the air over the Kabul airport and the headquarters of 40 Army, stationed in the former palace of Amin. Every night, the helicopters were on duty, and when the guard posts to report suspicious activity in the surrounding mountains from Bagram rose Su-25, successive in the sky and ready to prevent an attack. On duty at Bagram was kept constant and a couple of storm troopers, whose job it was immediately attacked the area, which appeared Ahmad Shah Masood – the number one enemy in these parts, and whole-souled boss Charikar and Panjshir. A skilful and energetic adversary, appointed by the tip of the opposition, “the commanders of the central provinces,” Masood is a particular dislike of Kabul by their daring operations under the capital and, especially, unquestioned authority among the population. For Massoud hunted gunships and special operations forces him to spring ambushes, military operations were carried out, at least 10 times reported his death (BV Gromov himself believed that “with a 85-year Ahmad Shah was no longer alive – this is just standard opposition), but the elusive “amirsaib” again and again walked away from persecution by their own people in Kabul in advance learning about planned attacks – among the informants were Massoud pritorgovyvavshie secrets senior officers of the Afghan army and himself chief of General Staff of Intelligence Maj. Gen. Khalil (Khalil betrayal and officers of his entourage uncovered WAD spring 1985).

Doing intelligence ranked ground attack targets a relatively modest place (hindered insufficient range and lack of specialized equipment) and limited visual reconnaissance in the interests of their own parts. In preparation for the raid, the commander or squadron navigator overflew the area of future impact, getting to know the terrain and landmarks, and just before the attack as their pilots conducted detailed exploration.