Aircraft
Russia Rethinks Trainer Options
Russia's attempts to acquire new basic trainers have hit a stumbling block in the face of a chill in international relations
The Yakovlev Yak-152 from UAC is powered by a diesel engine from Germany. (photo: Vladimir Karnozov)
The Yakovlev Yak-152 from UAC is powered by a diesel engine from Germany. (photo: Vladimir Karnozov)

Russia’s Air and Space Force (VKS) is revisiting its options for an affordable aircraft for initial and basic training after the SAT SR-10 effort came to a halt and Yakovlev’s Yak-152 encountered engine issues. Earlier, the service planned to buy 150 Yak-152s to replace the same number of Aero L-39s that have been in VKS service since 1971.

The need for an affordable trainer arises from two major considerations. The Yakovlev Yak-130, already in squadron service and quantity production, is good for advanced training and in-type training. Its digital flight control is reprogrammable to emulate handling qualities of various aircraft types in VKS service, from agile fighters to heavy airlifters. At the same time, it is too heavy (max gross weight nine tonnes), technically complex and expensive an aircraft to be used for initial and basic training.

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