Belarus has ordered its second batch of Yakovlev Yak-130 advanced trainers from Russia, bringing its total commitment to eight, the country’s defence ministry has confirmed.
The new deal was signed with the type's manufacturer, Irkut, at the MAKS air show in Moscow in late August.
A Commonwealth of Independent States member, Belarus sources most of its military equipment from Russia, and placed its first Yak-130 order in 2011. Those four aircraft have already been delivered.
The Yak-130 serves as both a high-end trainer and light combat aircraft, with a useful payload of 3,000kg (6,600lb). It will prepare Belarus air force pilots to operate its RAC MiG-29 fighters and Sukhoi Su-25 ground-attack aircraft.
Flightglobal’s Fleets Analyzer database records Belarus as having 37 MiG-29s and 68 Su-25s.
Other current operators of the Yak-130 are Algeria and Russia, with the type also on order for Bangladesh and Syria.
An example of Russia's Yak-130 advanced fighter trainer.
Irkut
Source: FlightGlobal.com
