The Russian corporation Rostec announced the success of the first test flight of the upgraded Yak-130M training and combat aircraft.
A statement issued by the organization reported that "the first test flight of the upgraded Yak-130M training and combat aircraft was successfully completed at the Yakovlev Aviation Plant in Irkutsk," noting that the aircraft was piloted by Russian test pilots Alexander Guskov and Andrey Vorobayev.
Rostec added that the flight lasted about 50 minutes, during which the aircraft flew at an altitude of 2,000 meters and a speed of up to 600 kilometers per hour, confirming that the tests were carried out successfully without any malfunctions being recorded in the performance of the aircraft or its systems.
According to the organization, the technical capabilities of the Yak-130M aircraft allow it to be equipped with air-to-air missiles, in addition to high-precision air-to-ground missiles and bombs guided by satellites and lasers, giving it advanced combat capabilities in addition to its training missions.
The Yak-130M is an upgraded version of the Yak-130 aircraft used for pilot training both within Russia and abroad. The original aircraft is 11.49 meters long, has a wingspan of 9.84 meters, and a height of 4.63 meters, with a maximum speed of 1,050 kilometers per hour and a service ceiling of 12,500 meters.
It can also be used in light attack missions, and is capable of being equipped with S-8, S-13 and S-25OFM missiles, in addition to its ability to carry guided and unguided bombs weighing up to 500 kilograms.
