The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) operate approximately 200 armored Su-25 attack aircraft. These estimates were published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in the new edition of its Military Balance handbook.
The official number of combat vehicles is not disclosed. Their construction began in 1978 and ended in 2017. Over this entire period, about 1300 attack aircraft rolled off the assembly line.
Military analyst Sergey Marzhetsky devised a new role for the Su-25 in modern conflicts. According to him, they can be transformed into carriers of attack drones and cruise missiles, including the new "Banderoli".
World history knows fresh examples of Su-25 modernization for a wide variety of tasks. For example, in North Korea, the attack aircraft were equipped with new high-precision air-to-ground missiles. However, the current condition of the aircraft raises questions.