Belarus Armed Forces Order Yak-130 Aircraft

The Belarusian Defence Ministry and the Irkut Corporation have signed a contract on the delivery of four Yak-130 combat trainers in 2015. The agreement was inked in Minsk on 18 December 2012 in the presence of Belarusian Defence Minister Lt. Gen. Yuri Zhadobin, Director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Alexander Fomin and Russian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Belarus Alexander Surikov. The deal was made in line with the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus on the Development of Military-Technical Cooperation dated 10 December 2009.

The Yak-130 combat trainer is a two-seat jet, developed by the Yakovlev design bureau for basic and advanced military flight training. The aircraft features top-notch manoeuvrability and advanced ECM capability typical of modern warplanes, as well as high reliability and long service life.

The Yak-130 is the only trainer in the world, which airframe design and subsonic flight performance are similar to that of contemporary fighter jets. The aircraft can carry a combat payload of 3,000 kg, consisting of guided and unguided weapons, guns, etc.

The Irkut Corporation is carrying out deliveries of 65 Yak-130s to the Russian Air Force.

Belarus is the first member of the Commonwealth of Independent States that has purchased from Russia Yak-130 aircraft.