Russia plans to have three Yak-130M advanced trainer aircraft ready for flight by the end of this year. This was reported by russian state media, citing Vasiliy Prutkovskiy, Managing Director of Yakovlev (part of Rostec)

"Currently, three aircraft are in production. One after another, with a gap of a few months, we will have three flight-ready units by the end of the year. After that, we will proceed with flight testing," he stated, News.Az reports, citing Defense Express.

These aircraft constitute an experimental batch. russia repeatedly announced plans last year to conduct the maiden flight of the upgraded Yak-130M. As of now, the first test flight is scheduled for June.

The modernized Yak-130M was first unveiled in 2024 at the Army-2024 forum. Its key upgrades include the integration of the BRLS-130R onboard radar and the SOLT-130K electro-optical targeting system.

Although russia promotes the Yak-130M as a "light attack aircraft" for export, these upgrades could also enable its use by the russian Aerospace Forces. In particular, it may be used to counter Ukrainian long-range strike drones with S-8L rocket rockets equipped with semi-active laser guidance.

At the same time, it remains unclear whether russia has placed orders for the Yak-130M for its own military. Previously, Alexander Mikheev, head of Rosoboronexport, stated that demand could reach up to 40 aircraft, primarily from customers in the Asia-Pacific region and Africa.

Earlier this year, it was also reported that russia had delivered up to six Yak-130 aircraft to Ethiopia. This deal likely carried not only practical but also symbolic significance, demonstrating that russian defense products remain relevant for countries aligned with the Kremlin.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova