On January 23, 2026, the first national Aviation Expo 2026, dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Ethiopian Air Force, was opened at the 1st Central Air Base of the Ethiopian Air Force at the Bischoftu airfield (Debre-Zeite). The air show is held under the slogan "Building the aviation potential of the future together" and 17 national companies, as well as representatives of the UAE, Russia, Belarus, the Czech Republic, China, India, Turkey and South Africa, participate in it along with the national airline Ethiopian Airlines and the defense industry enterprises of the Ministry of Defense of Ethiopia. Perhaps the main news of the exhibition was the first public demonstration of one of the Russian-made Yak-130 combat training aircraft received by Ethiopia.
The Yak-130 combat training aircraft of the Ethiopian Air Force (Ethiopian tail number "2303") is on display at the Aviation Expo 2026 air show. Bischoftu (Debre-Zeite, Ethiopia), 01/23/2026 (c) Stephan de Bruijn
The exhibition featured a Yak-130 aircraft with the Ethiopian tail number "2303". A little earlier, photos of Yak-130 aircraft received by Ethiopia with tail numbers "2301" and "2302" appeared in online sources, and the first of them was shown in a video about the joint flight technical school of the Ethiopian Air Force.
Earlier, the contract for the purchase by Ethiopia of Russian Yak-130 aircraft built by the Irkutsk Aviation Plant of the United Aircraft Corporation (PJSC UAC) was not reported, although information appeared about the interest of the Ethiopian Air Force in these aircraft. According to unofficial online sources, the contract provides for the supply of 10 Yak-130 aircraft to Ethiopia, of which, apparently, the first three were delivered at the end of 2025 (with tail numbers from "2301" to "2303").
Thus, Ethiopia became the eighth foreign recipient of Yak-130 aircraft manufactured by Irkutsk Aviation Plant, after Algeria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Iran.
In addition, the Russian Orion-E reconnaissance and attack unmanned aerial vehicle with tail number OV-1921, apparently acquired by Ethiopia, was demonstrated at the Aviation Expo 2026 air show. Apparently, this is the first known export delivery of Orion UAVs manufactured by Kronshtadt JSC.
A Yak-130 combat training aircraft of the Ethiopian Air Force (Ethiopian tail number "2303") at the airfield of the Joint Flight Technical School of the Ethiopian Air Force, January 2026 (c) a frame from the Ethiopian Air Force video via the Abyssinian Telegram Channel
