a
World Defense & Security News - Belarus and Bangladesh
 
 
Bangladesh and Belarus to get Yak-130 trainer and light attack aircraft in 2015
 
This year Russia will deliver 14 Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft to Bangladesh and two more jets of the type – in 2016, TASS reports with reference to Irkut Corporation CEO, Oleg Demchenko. Belarus is also to receive four Yak-130s in April, according to BelTA.
     
This year Russia will deliver 14 Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft to Bangladesh and two more jets of the type – in 2016, TASS reports with reference to Irkut Corporation CEO, Oleg Demchenko. Belarus is also to receive four Yak-130s in April, according to BelTA.
Russian Air Force's Yakovlev Yak-130 trainer and light attack aircraft
     
The contract for delivery of 16 Yak-130 operational trainers is being implemented in accordance with the schedule. This year we will deliver 14 Yak-130s to the customer and two more jets – in 2016,” Demchenko said at LIMA-2015 show held in Malaysia.

Bangladesh is the second non-CIS country to place an order for Yak-130 operational trainers. Earlier 16 jets of the type were delivered to Algeria. It was reported earlier that Bangladesh purchased Yak-130 jets in the network of a $1 billion credit granted by Russia and intended for purchase of military equipment.

Demchenko said that Belarus too would receive four Yak-130s, following a contract that was signed in late 2012. Belarus will become the first CIS country to acquire Yak-130, and Irkut is also negotiating with Armenia and Uzbekistan. “We are going to deliver four Yak-130 aircraft to Belarus in April,” said Oleg Demchenko during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) 2015 in Malaysia.

Yak-130 operational trainer (NATO reporting name: Mitten) is designed for pilot training and combat missions. The jet is capable of destroying ground and air targets. It is used for training of future pilots of “4+”-generation and fifth-generation fighters. The jet performed its maiden flight in 1996 and was selected as the primary trainer of the Russian air forces in 2002.