Dubai AirShow 2019: Russian Yak-130 training aircraft will be developed into a combat jet.

The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) is upgrading Yak-130 training aircraft to develop it into a combat jet, UAC CEO Yuri Slyusar said at Dubai Airshow 2019. The Yakovlev Yak-130 (NATO reporting name: Mitten)is a subsonic two-seat advanced jet trainer and light fighter originally developed by Yakovlev and Aermacchi. It enters in service with the Russian Air Force in 2009. 

Yak-130 training aircraft at Dubai AirShow 2019. (Picture source FlickR)

"We brought Yak-130 here. We present its deep upgrade project to expand combat capabilities. It is not just a training aircraft, it is mostly a combat jet," he said.

"Yak-130 can engage in various missions and can be adapted to the engagement region. We customized the increased combat capabilities for the clients in the Middle East according to the missions they will engage in," he said.

Yak-130 is at the static display and showcases guided air-to-air missiles, various-caliber unguided munitions, electronic warfare containers, and a suspended container for a double-barrel 30 mm gun.

"The training functions have also been expanded. It can train pilots for the fourth and fifth-generation aircraft," Slyusar said.

The Yak-130 combat trainer can simulate the tactics of different combat aircraft. There is one centreline fuselage hardpoint and the number of wing hardpoints for the suspension of weapons payloads has been increased to eight with six underwing and two wingtip points, increasing the combat payload weight to 3,000kg.

The aircraft can carry weapons, suspended fuel tanks, reconnaissance pods and a range of electronic warfare pods including radar jammers and infrared countermeasures.

An open architecture avionics suite installed on the Yak-130 allows a wide range of western weapon systems and guided missiles to be integrated including the AIM-9L Sidewinder, Magic 2 and the AGM-65 Maverick.

Weapons fits include the Vikhr laser-guided missile, R-73 infrared-guided air-to-air missiles (Nato designation AA-11 Archer) and the Kh-25 ML (Nato designation AS-10 Karen) air-to-surface laser-guided missile. A Platan electro-optical guidance pod is installed under the fuselage for the deployment of the KAB-500Kr guided bomb.

The aircraft is fitted with a 30mm GSh-301 cannon or a podded GSh-23 cannon installed under the fuselage. It can also deploy unguided B-8M and B-18 rockets, 250kg and 50kg bombs and cluster bombs.