Fleet Survey
In the latest of our series, Alexander Mladenov examines Europe’s final surviving Frogfoots in Bulgaria, as well as the turbulent service history of the Su-25 in Iran and Iraq.
Su-25 operators Part 5
Bulgaria
Bulgaria was among the early export customers for the Frogfoot, taking delivery of 36 Su-25Ks and four two-seat Su-25UBKs between 1986 and 1988. These equipped the two squadrons of the 22 ShturmovI Aviatsionen Polk (ShtAP, Attack Regiment) stationed at Bezmer airfield in the southeast of the country. The consignment had mixed fortunes: one of the single-seaters was lost in a training accident in 1989 and another was damaged beyond repair in 1995. Then, during the 2000s, a total of 14 single-seat aircraft were sold to local intermediary companies – in at least three batches – and some of these were subsequently re-sold abroad.
Currently, Bulgaria is the only NATO member state still operating the Frogfoot and the Bulgarski Voennovazdushni Sili (BVVS, Bulgarian Air Force) plans to continue flying the type into the early 2020s.
In 1994, the Bulgarian Su-25 unit was re-formed as the 22 Shturmova Aviobaza (ShtAB, attack aviation base), consisting of headquarters, two Su-25 squadrons, a flight…
