Image source: topwar.ru
On the eve of the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Ethiopian Air Force, Yak-130 combat training aircraft were demonstrated on the sidelines of the local Aviation Expo 2026 air show, the purchase of which was not reported.
Their delivery is carried out as part of a large-scale renovation of the country's fleet. Earlier, in early 2024, the country had already received Russian Su-30K fighters and Turkish Akinci attack UAVs.
The Su-30K belongs to the "Indian" batch (of 18 units), which New Delhi received in the 1990s and returned to Russia in 2007 in exchange for more advanced Su-30MKI. In 2013, Angola bought 12 of the same aircraft for about $1 billion. Before being handed over to the customer, the aircraft undergo major repairs and upgrades (presumably in Belarus or Russia), which allows them to extend their service life and upgrade their on-board equipment. Ethiopia has confirmed the presence of at least 3 units in service, although the contract involves the supply of 3 more vehicles from the same batch.
The Su-30 pilots will be trained on the Yak-130, but these UBS will also be used as light attack aircraft to combat ground targets. Two functions of the Yak-130 are critically important for Addis Ababa: the ability to work from unpaved lanes and the availability of an on-board defense system (electronic warfare equipment and a UV-26M false thermal target release device) to protect against MANPADS, which are increasingly found in the hands of various rebel and terrorist groups.
Image source: topwar.ru
Ethiopia received the basic version of the Yak-130. At the same time, there is a new modification of the Yak-130M, which entered the flight test stage at the end of 2025. It is mainly distinguished by the installation of the on-board radar radar-130R and optical sighting station SALT-130K, which allows the use of missiles with laser and satellite guidance.
In addition to Ethiopia, which became the eighth foreign operator of the Yak-130, this aircraft is in service with Algeria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Iran.
