The third prototype of the upgraded Yak-130M combat training aircraft, created by the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC, part of Rostec), recently successfully completed its first flight at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. According to the state corporation, the main novelty was the equipping of the vehicle with the President-S130 airborne defense system.
This is a full-fledged active protection system that works in three stages and creates an impenetrable defensive dome around the aircraft. Its sensors automatically detect the launch of an enemy missile, and the system instantly puts electronic interference, blinding the homing heads and enemy detection devices. In addition, when an aircraft is attacked, special false thermal and radar targets are released, which divert the missiles away.
Rostec emphasizes that connecting the machine to the flight test program should significantly speed up the certification process. The first deliveries of production aircraft to customers are planned as early as 2028.
The upgraded Yak-130 retained nine suspension units (eight wing and one fuselage). The maximum mass of the aircraft's combat load reaches 3,000 kg. If the basic Yak-130 was created as a "desk" for cadets, then the "M" modification is a full-fledged light attack aircraft and fighter. Moreover, this aircraft is in demand both in Russia and abroad.
The export version of the Yak-130M, which was presented at the Dubai Airshow 2025, was armed with RVV-MD guided air-to-air melee missiles designed for self-defense and target interception. In addition, the aircraft is equipped with high-precision air-to-ground weapons, correctable aerial bombs KAB-250LG-E with laser guidance and K08BE with inertial satellite guidance. The arsenal also included unguided aircraft missiles (S-8, S-13) and classic bombs for working on squares.
Due to its controllability at relatively low speeds, the Yak-130M is considered by developers as an effective means of combating heavy-class UAVs. It is capable of patrolling the sky in modes inaccessible to heavy fighters and intercepting slow but large attack drones.
The Yak-130M is designed as a universal dual-use platform. In peacetime and in the deep rear, it remains an ideal simulator capable of simulating piloting fourth and fifth generation fighters. In combat conditions, the Yak-130M can turn into a light attack aircraft for direct support of troops, a fighter-bomber for pinpoint strikes, as well as an interceptor of low-speed aerial targets.
According to Rosoboronexport, the potential markets for the Yak-130M are Asian and African countries that already operate basic versions of the Yak-130. The interest in the "M" version is shown by states that need an inexpensive, unpretentious and multifunctional aircraft capable of operating from poorly prepared airfields.
Experts note that the appearance of the President-S130 complex puts the car in a separate league. For countries that do not have a well-developed layered air defense, the Yak-130M becomes an ideal tool: it is able to independently survive in the range of MANPADS and light anti-aircraft systems, deliver precision strikes and at the same time cost several times less than classic fighters.
Evgeny Kuzmichev
