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Actually the Su-17 was not fantastic at what it did.... the rather slow rather better protected Su-25 was superior in every regard in combat in Afghanistan.

It was not invincible, but it did a much better job.

There is a reason the faster light strike aircraft are pretty much gone, replaced by multirole aircraft like the MiG-29SMT or Su-27SM3 types or Su-30s.

Pretty much in the early 1980s you would need a MIG-23 for medium range interception, MiG-27 for short range strike, and a MiG-21 for short range dog fighting.

The MiG-29SMT can replace all those platforms and do a rather better job in each case, though with rather more expensive guided munitions.

None of these aircraft can perform the CAS role... only Su-25 and A-10 like aircraft are even worth considering for such missions.

The best feature of the Su-17 was speed, but as the Su-25 shows speed is actually counter productive in finding and attacking targets on the ground.

The Gefest & T upgrade is an excellent cheap simple upgrade that turns otherwise ineffective dumb bombs into potent effective weapons that are still effective when delivered from safe altitudes, but for a country with no recon or C4I then being able to hit a point on the ground means little if you don't know where the bad guys are and when.

Without the target detection and identification network supporting them the accuracy and low cost means very little.

They would be better off developing a low tech low cost MiG-29 or Su-27 that can accurately drop bombs on designated positions from medium altitude that could later be upgraded to do more like engage enemy aircraft, or take on enemy cruise missiles in large numbers.

The operating costs of an Su-17 would be rather more than for an Su-25 just in fuel burn per flight.

Probably the best replacement for either aircraft would be a UCAV that flys above the ground fire but can spot targets with magnified optics and accurately deliver cheap dumb bombs on priority targets on the ground using some sort of G&T system.

Recon and attack package in one.

The Soviets used both the Su-17 and Su-25... they stopped using the Fitter and still use the Frogfoot to this day.

I don't think it is an accident, or a curiosity of nature.

the fire control system and electronics on the early model Su-25 was directly transferred from the Su-17... not sure which model... but even with the same avionics the Su-25 was better... more manovuerable... safer for the pilot... more effective in combat.

If they are serious about their own defence they will not bother with air defence "fighters" like the Su-17 or Su-25...

They would actually be better off removing the Fitters from service and buying lead in fighter trainers like Yak-130s... even if fitted with a basic radar in the nose it will be better in all areas than the Su-17 or Su-25 in air to air roles and with a new engine... perhaps a single upgraded RD-33 engine you could have a new light fighter/bomber/trainer.

What I am trying to say is that even if it is very cheap any upgrade to the Su-17 to make it a fighter would be time and money wasted... if they can handle a single engine swing wing fighter then why not go for MiG-23s?

The R-77 launch pylon has a pneumatic arm that throws the missile down at launch so this twin pylon must have two pneumatic arms one for each missile to throw it clear of the aircraft.

They were originally designed for internal weapons carriage which is why the R-77s have slim body strakes and folding rear grid fins.

Having the catapult launch would actually make them safer to launch from between engine nacelles than R-27s in practise.

(The R-33 and R-37 have similar catapult launchers so they clear the belly position of the MiG-31 firing them but also being a large heavy missile if a gust of wind at launch directs the missile up into the launch aircraft it could do serious damage to itself and the plane, so the arm launch ensures clean separation every time...)