«Avionics World» Magazine, №5'2003
«THE ADVANCED AIRCRAFT OF THE RUSSIAN AIR FORCE»
The important event in the life of the Russian Air Force took place on May 30, 2003 at the aerodrome of "Sokol" Aircraft Manufacturing Plant (Nizhny Novgorod), that is the demonstration of the first production sample of Yak-130 combat-trainer (CT), which will begin to execute the programs of flight tests in November, 2003. For the first time within the last decade, to be exact - after 1991, the Russian Air Force has received the advanced serially manufactured aircraft.
General - Colonel Vladimir Mikhailov, the AF Commander-in-Chief has personally participated in this significant event. The Commander-in-Chief stayed in the Yak-130 cockpit for a long time, closely studying the structure of the equipment appropriate to the most advanced level in the world.
Answering the questions of the press representatives, Vladimir Mikhailov has declared: "Yak -130 is a perfect machine, which was so waited for; with modest financing we have managed to start the series production in 2002; there are three more aircraft on jigs. In 2005 we will already have one squadron of Yak-130; and as a whole it is planned to build more than 200 machines for our Air Force that is our need".
The activities on the program of creation of Yak -130 light jet combat-trainer have been carried out pursuant to the State contract signed by EDB named after A.S. Yakovlev with the MOD of Russian Federation, which has defined Yak-130 as a base combat-trainer for the Air Force of Russia. In 2003 - 2004 an experimental batch of four Yak-130, which will be given to Krasnodar Flight School for test operation is planned to be built. At the end of 2003 one aircraft will be made for static-test. The program of flight test is supposed to be completed in 2004-2005, and since 2005 the CT will start to be delivered to Air Force and customers.
As it is known, from the beginning of the 60-th years for the Soviet Air Force L-29 of Czechoslovak development became the main trainer (T), which won the Soviet Yak-30 and Polish TS-11 "Iskra" in the competition of the Warsaw Agreement that was the decision for the sake of the socialist integration. Poland has become to build its own aircraft independently and has commissioned it into the inventory, while the Soviet Yak- 30 with the outstanding characteristics remained in the history. In the 70-th years L - 39 came to substitute L-29 but it also has already ceased to meet the requirements to preparation of the pilots for fighters of the 4-th and 5-th breed. In these conditions MOD of Russian Federation declared in 1991 about realization of competition on creation of new domestic trainer, intended for preparation of the pilots for fighters of the new generation.
The Sukhoy (S-54), Myasishev (M-200), Mikoyan (MiG -AT) and Yakovlev (Yak-130) corporations have participated in the competition. The designers of EDB named after Yakovlev have counted on the universality and modifiability, that provided training of pilots on one trainer for any airplanes; conformity to flight characteristics of the modern and perspective airplanes; adaptability to the requirements of the Air Force of different countries; not less, than twice reduction of manpower on service; acceptable cost parameters and fast modification into full scale combat versions. Furthermore, as contrasted to the competitors, the designers of Yak had indisputable advantage that is the richest experience of designing trainers since the 30th years.
The new trainer has received the relevant feature, which is reprogrammed digital multi channel system of full remote control permitting in the educational purposes to change the stability of characteristics and controllability of Yal-130 depending on the simulated airplanes.
The Yak-130 project was distinguished by perfect aerodynamics and high thrust\weight ratio - 0,85. The power plant originally included two Slovak engines DV-2S with the thrust of 2200 kgf, however, the series aircraft will have cost effective TRDD AI-225-2,5 jet engines with the thrust up to 2500 kgf, which are Russian-Ukrainian development, in particular "Motor Seach" and "Progress" DB (Ukraine) and "Salute" Plant (Russia). The export version of Yak-130 can be equipped with the improved engine DV - 2SM. The service life of the glider is supposed to be 10 000 flight hours and 30 years of calendar time with a capability of extension till 15 000 hours.
In April 1996 there was built and tested in flight the prototype airplane -demonstrator Yak -130 D. By the present time it has executed more 450 test flights to confirm the announced characteristics and even to exceed them; the airplane has steadily executed the controlled flight with the angle of attack of 45 degrees, that has become some kind of a world record for the aircraft of the given type.
The simplicity of design, high reliability, full self-sufficiency of the aircraft, as well as high maintainability in combination with low life cycle cost and high flight performances provide a capability to carry out high-performance preparation of aircrew in short times. The new aircraft is capable to execute flights on modes, appropriate to the modern and perspective combat both domestic, and foreign aircraft.
The potential, included in the new aircraft, allows to create combat-trainer and attacker versions of Yak -130, pursuant to the supplementary requirements of the Air Force.
The increase of quantity of wing suspension points up to 8 has ensured a capability to place combat load of up to 3000 kg, The container with "Platan" optoelectronic system located on the ninth suspension point under the fuselage provides application of "air -to- ground" controlled weapons. The versions of Yak -130 armament include "air-to-ground" and "air -to-air" missiles, external fuel tanks (EFT), containers with the reconnaissance equipment, electronic warfare and IR countermeasure equipment.
The integrated complex of Yak-130 onboard avionics with the opened architecture developed by St. Petersburg RDB "Elektroavtomatika" and includes two computers and three channel system of multiplex data exchange. There is a satellite navigation receiver navigating GLONASS/NAVSTAR. The series production airplanes will be equipped with airborne radars capable to track simultaneously 8 targets and to attack 4 of them.
The modern instrumentation of each cockpit is formed with usage of three color liquid-crystal MFD with the format of 6 x 8 inches. The pilot in the forward cockpit has HUD and helmet target designation system.
The part of the series airplanes will be equipped with a refueling rod for training the front pilots to in-flight refuelling. The cockpit is equipped with К - 36LT 3,5 high-performance, ejection seats, which have proved their reliability made by "Zvezda" RIA.
Further development of Yak - 130 is a single-seat light attacker (LA) Yal-131 -131 90 - 95% unitized with the basic version. The operational radius of the combat version will increase up to 1000 kms. The airplane will have built-in 30-mm gun. The armament will be added with "Vikhr" missiles having laser control system.
EDB named after Yakovlev will raise its activity in the international market. The new trainer was demonstrated at Le Bourget Air Show in June this year. The marketing program is implemented together with "Rosoboronexport". The success of the new trainer will also be promoted by the agreement signed between "Sukhoy" Aircraft Building Corporation and EDB named after Yakovlev about joint promotion of "Su" and "Yak" aircraft in the international market. It provides the formation of the batch proposals for the foreign customers. The opened architecture allows to integrate guided air missiles of the western production in the structure of Yak-130 armament.
V. DRUSHLYAKOV
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