This week it became known about the start of testing of the improved modification of the Russian Yak-130M combat training aircraft, one of the most popular in the country's armed forces.
The modernization primarily affected the combat (and not training) capabilities of the aircraft.
One of the significant improvements was the equipping of the aircraft with the latest onboard radar station BRLS-130R. This system is equipped with an antenna with an active phased array (APAR).
Although the official characteristics of the radar have not been published, it is obvious that it provides a longer range detection of air targets compared to the previous model installed on the Yak-130.
The optical-laser thermal television system SOLT-130K will provide the crew with the ability to detect, recognize ground and surface targets, as well as carry out their target designation for the use of onboard weapons.
Honored Military Pilot of the Russian Federation, Major General Vladimir Popov believes that the Yak-130M is very necessary for the Russian army.
Such aircraft can fight drones - the main danger in modern military conflict, they are able to destroy "enemy mosquito aviation".
Previously, experts have already expressed similar assumptions about the possibility of creating a mass cheap "UAV fighter" based on the Yak-130 platform.
Moreover, in Iran recently tested the Yak-130s supplied to the country to perform just such tasks.
According to the latest data, the Krasnodar Higher Military School operates the previous version of the aircraft to train Russian pilots.
Earlier www1.ru reported that the first prototype of the modernized Yak-130M aircraft was sent for ground and flight tests.
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