Iran appears to have taken delivery of Yakovlev Yak-130 advanced jet trainers from Russia in what could be the first quid pro quo deal for one-way attack drones to support Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Images of two aircraft being flight tested in Isfahan, Iran, and wearing Iranian Air Force colors were published online on Sept. 2.
The aircraft are the first imported, combat-capable platforms delivered into the country since the imposition of the 2006-20 United Nations arms embargo.
Two aircraft marked 7-9700 and 7-9701 and wearing a gray, green, white and orange color scheme are shown taxiing and flying from the airfield, apparently for initial flight evaluations.
Iranian news agencies and outlets have been carrying what they have described as confirmation of the deliveries, saying that aircraft “will be used to train pilots who are going to fly new generation fighters.”
“The addition of Yak-130 aircraft to the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran is in line with our country’s arms contracts with the Russian Federation,” the Fars News Agency reported, quoting an Iranian Air Force official.
Iran has provided significant support to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with deliveries of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as thousands of low-cost, one-way attack drones that have been used to try to saturate Ukraine’s air defense systems.
No information has been disclosed on the number of Yak-130s that could be delivered, but the statement suggests the arrival of the Yak-130s may be a precursor to the delivery of more advanced platforms, such as the Sukhoi Su-35.
Reports have suggested that Tehran could receive Su-35s originally built for Egypt which were canceled by Cairo over concerns about U.S. sanctions.
Deliveries of the Yak-130 represent a much-needed modernization of the Iranian Air Force’s training fleet, which is currently largely reliant on Pilatus PC-7s and locally developed versions of that aircraft.
The twin-engine Yak-130 emerged from a joint development with Italy’s Aermacchi for a new Russian trainer to replace the Aero Vodochody L-39. Although the Russo-Italian partnership was dissolved in the late 1990s, both manufacturers went on to produce aircraft with similar configurations, with the Yak-130 sharing the high-wing, twin-engine layout of the now-Leonardo M-346 Master. The Yak-130 has been in Russian service since 2010 and has been exported to Algeria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. The type has also been adapted into a light combat aircraft.
