RuAviation

Yak-130 training aircraft have entered service with the Air Force of the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Social media posted images showing the Russian planes in the colours of Iran’s national flag being located and serviced at one of the IRI Air Force’s airfields, indicating the machines’ arrival in the country, IRNA reported. Two such aircraft arrived at the 8th Shahid Babai Tactical Air Base in Isfahan on 2 September.

Iran has its own aircraft for flight training, the Yasin ATC, which is also capable of performing combat missions. In March, the country launched an assembly line for the production of these machines.

However, the Russian aircraft, according to the TASIM news agency, will allow Iranian pilots to be trained to operate the Su-35 Generation 4++ and Su-57 Generation 5 fighters. Iran announced in April that the deal to buy the Su-35 fighter jets had been finalised.

“The Yak-130 trainer aircraft is designed for flight and combat training of flight personnel on 4th and 5th generation fighters, as well as for performing combat missions against ground and air targets in favourable and unfavourable weather conditions,” reports about the aircraft said.

The Yak-130 has been in service since 2011, and now in addition to the Iranian Air Force, the aircraft is used by the air forces of Russia, Belarus, Algeria, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Syria.