The Su-22 is mainly designed for high-speed flight near ground level. Like most fighter-bombers, it is only of limited suitability for fighting other aircraft, as it has a laser range and target illumination system (Klen-54) for ground targets in the bow instead of radar to detect air targets. Other improvements included location, control, and target acquisition electronics. In addition, the Su-22 was equipped with systems for disrupting enemy targeting and locating. Installation of extended sensor equipment for reconnaissance operations is possible.

The armament includes eight to ten weapon carriers for a very wide range of weapon systems. Two or four weapon carriers can be attached under the hull, depending on the desired weapon variant. Two NR-30 automatic cannons, each with 80 rounds, installed in the left and right wing roots, respectively, are standard equipment. Two of the six weapon carriers under the wings can each be fitted with an additional gun container. This gun container SPPU-22-01 (combat kit: 260 rounds) with a vertically up to 30° downward movable gun GSch-23L can also be mounted under the fuselage against the direction of flight. This makes it possible to engage ground or sea targets already overflown during takeoff.

As one of the most adaptable Soviet designs of the present time, over 1000 of them are in service. Countries of operation were/are, among others, Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Peru, Poland, Syria, Czechoslovakia and Vietnam.

As a member state of the Warsaw Treaty Organization, Poland also received a total of 110 Su-22 aircraft. The Polish Air Force is the last European user – a modernization program has been underway since February 2015 to enable the fleet to operate for another ten years or so.

An Su-22 “Fitter” of the Polish Air Force is represented in the static display of AIRPOWER22.