Russia aims Brics with exportating new Yak 130 M training and fight modular aircraft.

At the International Military-Technical Forum "Army-2024", PJSC "Yakovlev" from the United Aircraft Corporation presented a promising development - the Yak-130M aircraft, created based on the combat training Yak-130. The main goal of the ongoing modernization is to extend the combat capabilities of the aircraft in order to increase its competitiveness in the foreign market.
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YAK 130M exposed at Army-2024 (Picture source: Yakovlev published by Rostec)

Rostec announces that it hopes the modernized Yak-130M will primarily interest our foreign partners who do not consider purchasing heavier and more expensive aircraft. The ideas embodied in the updated vehicle will significantly expand the range of weapons compared to the usual Yak-130. It will notably include air-to-air missiles and high-precision air-to-ground weapons equipped with satellite and laser guidance systems. In fact, the aircraft will become a fully-fledged light fighter while retaining its training functions. As part of the development work ordered by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the development of the design documentation for the production of prototypes has been completed.

Today, the Yak-130M is at the stage of assembling prototypes at the Irkutsk aviation factory. In total, Rostec plans to build three prototype aircraft for testing purposes. Some technical solutions in the interest of the Yak-130M program are tested on existing aircraft prototypes, particularly on the machine presented at the Army-2024 forum, at least that's what was stated by Andrey Boginsky, CEO of Yakovlev PJSC.

The Yak-130M aircraft is equipped with systems that significantly enhance its capabilities: the BRLS-130R airborne radar station, the SOLT-130K optical-laser thermal imaging system, the President-S130 airborne defense complex, and the KSS-130 communications complex. These new systems and weapons will ensure the use of the Yak-130M aircraft for training and combat purposes 24 hours a day and in challenging weather conditions.

The Yak-130 aligns with the logic of the SU-75, which was intended as an export fighter but has not found customers. The Yak-130M thus gives Russia the opportunity to have demonstrators. Unlike NATO combat aircraft, the Yak-140 is designed with a mixed-use dominance between training and combat, thus it has multiple options in terms of onboard space and payload. Its use is more thought out for use by countries in South America or East Asia. Countries in which propeller-driven aircraft are suitable as they meet certain operational needs. These are the countries targeted by the Yak-130, in other words, Russia aims at the expanded BRICS countries as potential clients with this aircraft.