War correspondent of "Pervy Kanal" Dmitry Kulko visited the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, where he was shown the deeply modernized Yak-130M. As stated at the enterprise, in the future, the aircraft may become an aerial base for launching loitering munitions – according to Kulko, these could be new versions of "Lancets" that are currently effectively intercepting naval drones.
The modernization of the Yak-130 has fundamentally changed its capabilities: the aircraft's onboard equipment has been updated by more than 50%. The key change is the new BRLS-130R radar with an active phased array and the SOLT-130K suspended optoelectronic complex. This combination allows the pilot to detect small composite drones around the clock at a distance of 18–25 km – something that ground-based air defense radars often miss.
Up to four gun pods can be installed on the aircraft, making drone destruction cheaper than with missiles. In addition, the Yak-130M is capable of flying at very low speeds, approaching an enemy drone, and engaging it without the risk of stalling. The cost per flight hour of the new machine is significantly lower than that of heavy fighters.
The first flight of the modernized Yak-130M took place on June 25, 2026, with deliveries to the troops planned for late 2028. The new version will be popular both in the Russian Aerospace Forces and abroad. In the future, the Yak-130M may receive an expanded arsenal for combating naval targets, including anti-ship missiles and depth charges, and also be adapted for aerial reconnaissance and target designation.