The SU-25 can’t fly at 33k feet.
“The SU-25 can’t fly at 33k feet.”
Correct. It’s a subsonic ground-attack fighter (think A-10) with a max of 23,000 with zero payload and a max speed that is probably less than a 777. With a couple of of air-to-air, I bet the top of its range is 19,000-20,000 ft. (I’d have to go look at my charts.)
I am not sure the Ukrainians have an air-to-air missile that would climb up another 15,000 feet.
“The SU-25 can’t fly at 33k feet.”
ROFL! I guess propagandists never check their own facts. Hell, most probably don’t know about service ceilings. The SU-25 has a pathetic service ceiling of 23,000 feet.
Doesn’t need to go to 33K feet, an R-60 Air to Air missile (which can be carried by SU25) has a range of 8km or over 26,000 feet.
The SU-25 fighter jet can gain an altitude of 10km, according to its specification,” he added. “It’s equipped with air-to-air R-60 missiles that can hit a target at a distance up to 12km, up to 5km for sure.”
Which converts to 32808.4ft if my calculator is right. And is that missile also limited in height?
SU-25 Frogfoot can carry the AA-8 Aphid/R-60 IR and turkey shot an airliner flying at FL330 from FL230ft.
If vertical distance between SU-25 and MH17 is a=10,000ft and horizontal distance is b=15,000ft, what is the distance c A-A missile has to fly to hit MH17?
Pythagorean theorem = shooting distance is is 18,000ft, well within the range of AA-8 Aphid.