Military Nuts Warplane of the Week. SU-17, 20, 22 Fitter
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Su-17,-20,-22 FITTER (SUKHOI)
The Su-17 Fitter with its variable sweep wings was developed from the fixed-wing Su-7B. The first public demonstration of it was made in 1969. It was in production for a long time (1970-1990) and many modifications were built. Some of the modifications were Su-17M, Su-17M2, Su-17M3, and the Su-17M4 (low-altitude subsonic bomber), Su-17UM (trainer). It was designed as a fighter-bomber, but it was used mostly as a bomber. The Su-17 remains an effective aircraft with capable avionics and impressive armament.
The wings are mid- to low-mounted (wings are mounted below the center), variable, swept-back, and tapered with blunt tips. There are wide wing roots. There is one turbojet engine in the fuselage and a circular air intake in the nose. There is a large, single exhaust. The fuselage is long and tubular with a blunt nose and rear section. It has a large bubble canopy. There is a prominent dorsal spine on top of the body from the cockpit to the tail fin. The tail is swept-back and has a tapered fin with a square tip. The flats are mid- to low-mounted on the fuselage and swept-back and tapered.
The last of the 'Fitter' series, the backbone of Russian ground attack squadrons since the 1960's, the 'Fitter-K' is designed to operate from forward airfields. Known as the Strizh (Marlet), it has a short range compared to most ground attack aircraft. It can carry four rocket pods - each 32x57 mm folding fin rockets - or four air-to-air missiles, or bombs. Or it may carry a wide range of guided weapons from the AS-7 'Kerry' command-guided missile to the AS-9 'Kyle' anti-radar missile. Due to problems in Afghanistan with shoulder fired heat-seeking missiles, the 'Fitter-Ks' have chaff and flare dispensers.
Export versions of this aircraft are designated Su-20 and Su-22. The export versions can be distinguished by a deeper dorsal spine.
Su-22 is a development of the preceding Su-7 and Su-17 and its Su-20 version, which first entered operational service in 1966. Variable geometry wings permit higher manoeuvrability and operational range with heavier combat load. Su-22 has been optimised for high-speed flight at low level. Su-22M4 (Fitter-K) is a single-engined, single-seat supersonic fighter/bomber with variable geometry wings designed to destroy ground targets by guided and non-guided weaponry and for air reconnaissance. Within a limited extent, the aircraft can also be used to destroy air targets. Within the Su-22 series of aircraft it is the most accomplished and best equipped version for combat activities at reduced visibility and by night. It is equipped with a K-36D ejection seat (also used in MiG-29 and Su-27). Su-22M3K is designed for advanced training.
The aircraft is powered by the AL-21F-3 turbo-jet engine made by NPO Saturn (Lyulka) (76.49 kN, or 110.32 kN with afterburning). New avionics includes the CVM20-22 central control computer, PrNK-54 navigation system, a combination of RSDN (an equivalent of Loran) and A-312 (an equivalent of Tacan) devices which substantially increases the accuracy of navigation and bombing and decreases the necessity of manual operations by the pilot. It is also equipped with a DISS-7 Doppler navigation system, KLEN-45 laser range-finder, ASP-178C gun sight, IKV-8 inertial navigation device, ARK-22 automatic radio compass, SRO-2 transponder of the ”identification friend-or-foe” system, SO-69 active transponder and SPO-15LE SIRENA radar warning receiver. The Su-22 can be used for tactical air reconnaissance. For this purpose it carries a KKR reconnaissance pod with built-in optical cameras and electronic reconnaissance equipment. The pod is usually used together with SPS electronic reconnaissance equipment. Moreover, a BA-58 VJUGA electronic reconnaissance pod can also be mounted under the fuselage. The pilot has a TV display to control guidance of air-to-surface missiles with a TV guidance system. To protect the aircraft against electronic warfare measures, four sets of ASO passive jammer with 32 cartridge cases each and 2 sets with 6 cases using KDS-23 infrared decoys.
With regard to its priority bombing tasks, the Su-22 can carry a wide range of conventional bombs from 100 to 1000 kg, special bombs with a drag parachute, anti-concrete bombs to destroy runways, anti-tank cluster bombs, rocket launchers (like S-24) with rockets from 57 to 330 mm. It is equipped with 8 armament pylons. For precision strikes against ground targets from the airspace beyond effective reach of anti-air defence it can use several types of air-to-surface radio-guided or laser-guided missiles, including Ch-25 (AS-10 Karen and AS-12 Kegler), Ch-29 and Ch-58E (AS-11 Kilter) anti-radar missiles. For self defence against enemy aircraft, R-60 (AA-8 Aphid), R-73 (AA-11 Archer) or K-13 (AA-2 Atoll) air-to-air infrared-guided short-range missiles are used. Standard equipment is a SPPU-22-01 machine-gun with 260 rounds. Efficient optional weaponry also includes 30 mm NR-30 cannons with 80 rounds, which can be carried in pods under the wings or under the fuselage.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/su-17.htm -
Specs.
HISTORY:
First Flight: 2 August 1966
Service Entry: 1972
CREW: 1 pilot
ESTIMATED COST: unknown
DIMENSIONS:
Length (Su-17M) 61.54 ft (18.75 m)
(Su-17M4) 62.42 ft (19.02 m)
Wingspan unswept: 45.25 ft (13.80 m)
swept: 32.83 ft (10.00 m)
Height (Su-17M) 16.42 ft (5.00 m)
(Su-17M4) 16.83 ft (5.13 m)
Wing Area unswept: 430.57 ft2 (40.1 m2)
swept: 398.28 ft2 (37.0 m2)
WEIGHTS:
Empty (Su-17M) 22,050 lb (10,000 kg)
(Su-17M4) 23,455 lb (10,640 kg)
Typical Load 36,155 lb (16,400 kg)
Max Takeoff 42,990 lb (19,500 kg)
Fuel Capacity internal: 8,310 lb (3,770 kg) occupying 1,200 gal (4,550 L)
external: up to 840 gal (3,200 L) in four 210 gal (800 L) tanks
Max Payload: 9,370 lb (4,250 kg)
PROPULSION:
Powerplant one Lyul'ka AL-21F-3 afterburning turbojet
Thrust 17,195 lb (76.5 kN)
24,800 lb (110.3 kN) with afterburner
PERFORMANCE:
Max Level Speed (Su-17M)
at altitude: 1,380 mph (2,220 km/h) at 36,090 ft (11,000 m), Mach 2.09
at sea level: 800 mph (1,285 km/h), Mach 1.05
(Su-17M4)
at altitude: 1,170 mph (1,880 km/h) at 36,090 ft (11,000 m), Mach 1.77
at sea level: 840 mph (1,350 km/h), Mach 1.1
Initial Climb Rate 45,275 ft (13,800 m) / min
Service Ceiling 49,870 ft (15,200 m)
Range typical: 740 nm (1,370 km)
ferry: 1,375 nm (2,550 km)
g-Limits +7
ARMAMENT:
Gun two 30-mm NR-30 cannons (80 rds ea)
Stations eight to ten external hardpoints
Air-to-Air Missile (Su-17M-3 and later) K-13/AA-2 Atoll, R-60/AA-8 Aphid
Air-to-Surface Missile (Su-17M-4) Kh-25ML/AS-10 Karen, Kh-58E/AS-11 Kilter, Kh-25MP/AS-12 Kegler, Kh-29/AS-14 Kedge
Bomb FAB-100/200/500, other free-fall, guided, nuclear, anti-runway, incendiary, and cluster bombs
Other up to four UPK-23-250 or SPPU-22-01 23-mm gun pods, 57-mm to 370-mm rocket pods, ECM pods, reconnaissance pods
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/attack/su17/ -
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/attack/su17/su17_schem_01.gif
http://www.airwar.ru/photo/su17/su17_9.jpg
http://www.pilotfriend.com/photo_albums/images7/11.jpg
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/attack/su17/su22_03.jpg -
THe SU-17 is a vast improvement to the SU-7, besides payload increase, the SU-17 also has a larger range thanks to 2 drop-tanks that can almost always be found under the inner panels of the wings, and even so, it can still lift a heavier pay-load than the SU-7. As always, the Soviets were cautious in the use of new technology, and hence, the pivots of the variable wings are quite outside the fuselage.
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To me, a old plane
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Looks like a unmovable Mig-19 swing wings combine with a Mig-21 nose!
A little Bastxxx with so many different parents. Hehehe...... -
True, true, this reflects the Soviet's reluctance to move away from established designs. Aircrafts with this layout include SU-7, SU-9, SU-11, SU-17, SU-20, SU-22, MIG-15, MIG-17, MIG-19, MIG-21.
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well at least the design is original......now like *ahem* su-24 *ahem*
