Bangladesh has signed a deal to buy 24 Irkut-built Yak-130 combat trainers via Russian state arms export agency Rosoboronexport, with deliveries to start by late this year.
The deal was signed in the fourth quarter of 2013, and disclosed by Rosoboronexport head Anatoly Isaikin in an interview with Russia's Kommersant newspaper.
Confirmation of the contract comes after Russia granted Bangladesh a $1 billion credit in January 2013 for a wider arms deal, also including Mil Mi-17V5 and Mi-171 transport helicopters and armoured vehicles.
Irkut
The value of the Yak-130 deal has not been disclosed, but sources close to the company say it is worth around $800 million. The aircraft will be delivered in a standard configuration, with the exception of English-language instrumentation, Vladimir Sautov, vice-president of marketing at Irkut, told Kommersant.
Irkut has so far delivered production examples of the twin-engined Yak-130 to the Russian air force, and to export operator Algeria. The nations currently operate a combined 58 of the type, according to Flightglobal's MiliCAS database. Belarus also has ordered four examples.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
