Russian Air Force receives second batch of Yak-130 trainer jets

The Russian Air Force has taken delivery of a second batch of three Yakovlev Yak-130 advanced jet trainer aircraft from Irkut.

The aircraft were delivered to the Air Force Training Centre, located in Borisoglebsk, Voronezh Region, Russia, and will support Russia's pilot training programmes.

The delivery forms part of an undisclosed contract signed between the company and Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) in December 2011 for delivery of 55 Yak-130 jets by 2015.

An initial batch of six Yak-130 combat jets was received by the air force following an extensive flight testing programme in October 2012.

Developed by Yakovlev design bureau, the Yak-130 is a subsonic, twin engine advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft designed to provide basic and advanced training to pilots in flying fourth and fifth-generation fighter aircraft, such as Sukhoi T-50.

Capable of carrying a combat load of 3,000kg, the aircraft can also conduct light-attack and reconnaissance missions at subsonic speeds of 600mph, in all weather conditions.

The Yak-130 is equipped with advanced digital avionics, a full digital glass cockpit, a quadruplex-channel digital fly-by-wire system (FBWS) and an instructor controlled and variable FBW handling characteristics and embedded simulation.

The aircraft also includes a head-up-display (HUD), and a helmet-mounted-sighting-system (HMSS).

The aircraft entered operational service with the Russian air force in July 2009, and has also been ordered by the air forces of Algeria, Libya, Syria and Vietnam.

Russia is planning to acquire a total of 65 aircraft before 2020 as part of its state arms programme.

Russian Air Force Accepts First Yak-130

Russia’s Irkut aircraft-manufacturing plant delivered the first six Yakovlev Yak-130 Mitten combat trainers to the Russian Air Force on Thursday, a spokesman for the Western Military District said.

“On October 4, the first batch of Yak-130 combat trainers fly from the Irkut plant to the Borisoglebsk airfield [Voronezh region] after an extensive flight testing program,” Col. Andrei Bobrun said.

The Irkut aircraft maker and the Russian Defense Ministry signed in December 2011 a contract for the delivery of 55 Yak-130 jets by 2015.

The Yak-130 is a highly maneuverable subsonic jet with an extended range of about 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers) and a maximum speed of 600 mp/h (1,060 km/h) in level flight. It can carry a combat payload of up to 6,600 pounds (3,000 kg), consisting of a variety of Russian and Western-developed weapons.

As an advanced jet trainer, Yak-130 is suitable for training or re-training pilots to fly fourth- and fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

It can also carry out a variety of light-attack and reconnaissance missions.

Irkut To Add Attack Capabilities To Yak-130 Trainer

Russia’s Irkut Corp. is working on improvements to its Yakovlev Yak-130 combat jet trainer that may turn it into a light attack aircraft.
The first stage of modernization includes the installation of an inflight refueling system and optronic pod, says Irkut Vice President Komstantin Popovich. This work should be completed in 2013, he adds.
In the next stage, designers plan to equip the aircraft with radar. Three options are being evaluated, says Popovich. The first is from Phazotron-NIIR. Earlier, Phazotron’s chief designer, Yury Guskov, told Aviation Week that his company had started developing a slot array antenna radar, dubbed FK-130, for this aircraft.
The other options are an onboard radar from Tikhomirov-NIIP or a radar pod from St. Petersburg’s Leninetz plant. According to Popovich, the radar designer and supplier is to be selected by the end of the year; development efforts are planned for 2013-14.
Popovich says the radar installation will provide the Yak-130 with target detection for air-to-ground missiles like the Kh-31 (AS-17 Krypton), Kh-38 and Kh-29 (AS-14 Kedge). “We understand now that the aircraft’s stability allows us to use such heavy missiles,” he says, adding that all these improvements are being made without the Russian air force’s request.
The aircraft can currently carry up to 3,000 kg (6,600 lb.) of combat payload including the short-range R-73 (AA-11 Archer) air-to-air missile with infrared seeker, KAB-500 guided bombs, free-falling bombs, unguided rockets or a pod with 23-mm GSh-23L twin-barreled cannon. The weapons can be fixed at nine external hardpoints: six underwing, two wingtips and one under the fuselage.

Irkut suggests that the Yak-130 attack version could be used in low-intensity conflicts to engage point-surface targets and low-speed air targets.
The Russian air force selected the Yak-130 in 2002 as its new jet aircraft for basic and advanced pilot training to replace the aging fleet of Soviet-era Czech L-39 trainers. It is equipped with a glass cockpit and a reprogrammed fly-by-wire system that can replicate the characteristics of various Russian fighters, fourth-generation and higher.
The basic Yak-130 variant completed government evaluation trials in 2009. The Russian air force now operates 12 aircraft from the initial production batch. In 2011 the air force placed an order for 55 trainers with the option for 10 more. The first batch of 15 under the deal is slated to be handed over this year; the total deliveries should by complete by 2012.