The Armed Forces of Ukraine showed the Su-24M aircraft with rare guided missiles X25-ML - laser guidance, launch range of 10 km and speed 3130 km/h

The video has appeared on the Internet showing a Ukrainian Su-24M aircraft with very rare X-25ML guided missiles.

What we know

Here we can discern the blue and yellow stripes in the style of the Ukrainian flag. This suggests that we are dealing with a Ukrainian plane, as the frontline bomber is also in service with the Russian army.

Ukrainian Su-24 equipped with a pair of Kh-25 air-to-ground missiles flies at low altitude in the east. pic.twitter.com/SggvffQ3Ai

- OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) August 10, 2022

Most interesting about this video is the two air-to-ground missiles mounted on rotary outer pylons. They belong to the X-25 series, and The Drive states that these are the X-25ML, which is known as AC-10 Karen in Europe. It is accurate to say that these are not Kh-25MP anti-radar missiles for destroying enemy anti-aircraft missile systems due to the absence of the characteristic elongated fairings.

The Kh-25ML missile was adopted for service in 1981. It has a semi-active 24H1 laser homing head. The maximum launch range is 10 km and the minimum адшпре range is 3 km. In flight, the missile reaches 870 m/s (3130 km/h) speed. Only the X-25MP is faster (920 m/s). Flight time to maximum range is 15 to 18 seconds. Fragmentation warhead has a weight of up to 90 kg.

Most of the missiles of the X-25 class were produced during the Soviet times. After the collapse of the Union, production almost ceased, and in 1997 it was completely stopped. But stocks remain. Kh-25ML missiles have been seen several times on Russian Su-24M aircraft. Particularly in Syria.

PHOTO: Loading of laser-guided Kh-25ML #Missile on Russian Su-24M in Syria pic.twitter.com/xCflcFKc0F

- Missilito (@Missilito) October 5, 2015

There is currently no information as to why the Ukrainian Air Force used Kh-25ML. Perhaps the reason is the depletion of high-precision munitions, including KAB-1500L, X-29L, KAB-500Kr, X-29E, X-31P or X-58. But it is possible that the choice of this type of missile was due to the parameters of the enemy target.

In the autumn of 2021, our Su-24Ms were shooting the Kh-25ML at the range pic.twitter.com/2z7fuvBStG

- Y V (@in_memoriam818) August 10, 2022

Note that the Ukrainian Kh-25ML missiles were demonstrated for the first time since the full-scale war with Russia, but the Ukrainian defense forces already have experience with them. Pilots of the Su-24M used such missiles in the fall of 2021.

Source: The Drive

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