The upgraded Yakovlev Yak-130M combat trainer completed its first flight on June 25, 2026, at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, as announced by Russian state corporation Rostec.
The sortie lasted approximately 50 minutes, at altitudes of up to 2,000 meters and speeds of up to 600 kilometers per hour. The aircraft was crewed by pilots Alexander Guskov and Andrey Voropayev. According to Rostec, the flight plan was carried out in full, with no technical issues noted.
New systems and weapons
The Yak-130M introduces an upgraded sensor and weapons suite over the baseline Yak-130. Rostec claims that the aircraft carries a new active electronically scanned array radar, an electro-optical targeting system with laser designation capability, an updated self-protection suite, and a new communications complex. The configuration is designed to support round-the-clock, all-weather operations in both training and combat roles.
United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) CEO Vadim Badekha declared that the upgrade would allow the type to “fully address training and combat tasks in any weather conditions, day and night at the level of modern aircraft platforms”. He added that the Yak-130M’s combat objectives include engaging ground and aerial targets, including large-class drones.
Russian Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Gennady Abramenkov described the aircraft as having “high potential for addressing a broad range of tasks in the customer’s requirements”.
Dual role and export prospects
The Yak-130M is being positioned as both an advanced jet trainer and a light combat aircraft capable of air-to-air and air-to-surface missions. Rostec has framed it as a platform suited for preparing pilots of fourth- and fifth-generation fighters. Export interest has been cited from customers in Asia and Africa, with demand estimated at up to 40 aircraft.
The baseline Yak-130 has been exported to eight countries. The Yak-130M made its first international appearance at the Dubai Airshow in November 2025. The Yak-130 and Leonardo’s M-346 share a common origin: both are derived from a joint Yakovlev and Aermacchi program launched in the 1990s, before the two partners pursued separate designs in the early 2000s.
The Irkutsk Aviation Plant, which built the prototype and hosted its first flight, is a subsidiary of Yakovlev and sits within the UAC structure, under Rostec. Two additional Yak-130M prototypes are expected to complete first flights by the end of 2026, with the full flight test program currently scheduled to run until 2028.