The second prototype of the Yak-130M advanced trainer and light combat aircraft has begun flight testing at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant (IAZ), Yakovlev announced on 1 August.
The aircraft completed its first flight with all onboard systems operating normally, marking the expansion of the Yak-130M flight-test campaign. The sortie was conducted by Yakovlev test pilots Andrei Voropaev and Aleksandr Guskhov.
The Yak-130M is a modernised variant of the Yak-130 basic trainer, with the upgrade focused primarily on avionics rather than airframe changes. The aircraft retains the existing airframe and powerplant configuration, while receiving a new mission system architecture designed to increase both training and combat capabilities.
Key additions include the BRLS-130R active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, SOLT-130K electro-optical targeting system, President-S130 defensive aids suite, and KSS-130 communications system.
The upgraded avionics suite enables training with operational radar, electro-optical sensors and modern data exchange capabilities, reducing reliance on simulated systems used on the baseline Yak-130. The aircraft is also intended to support employment of a wider range of guided air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons, including missions against larger unmanned aerial vehicles.
The first Yak-130M prototype began flight testing in June 2026. The current campaign is expected to support evaluation of the upgraded systems and their integration with the aircraft platform.
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