site.btaLast of Eight Upgraded Su-25 Jets Arrives in Bulgaria

February 12 (BTA) - The last of eight upgraded Su-25 jets for the Bulgarian Air Force was shipped back to the Bezmer Air Base near Yambol (Southeastern Bulgaria) on February 11 after an overhaul at the 558 Aircraft Repair Plant in Baranovichi, Belarus, the Bulgarian Defence Ministry said in a press release on Friday. The contract was thus performed in due time.

The upgraded ground-attack aircraft have a fully modernized navigation system with sat nav capabilities, enhancing the information that pilots need to accomplish their missions. The jets' missile capabilities have been expanded substantially, and the onboard radios have been replaced.

All this and other newly implemented systems make the Bulgarian Su-25s more combat ready and far more effective in providing direct air support, isolating the combat area and assisting the engagement of land-force and naval elements, the press release says.

The seventh upgraded Su-25 arrived at Bezmer on January 29.

The contract with Belarus covered the overhaul of two combat-trainer aircraft, six combat aircraft and 16 engines, as well as modifications/replacement of systems, blocks and units of the onboard avionics. According to www.capital.bg, the eight Su-25s (out of a total of 14) were equipped with a more advance shooting and bombing system and were armed with air-to-air missiles of fourfold longer range. RY/LG

/DT/