Irkut Corporation demonstrates Yak-130 jet fitted with laser rangefinder at MAKS-2015 airshow for the first time ever

Irkut Corporation (part of United Aircraft Corporation) demonstrates Yak-130 operational trainer fitted with laser rangefinder at the static display of MAKS-2015 international airshow for the first time ever. The rangefinder is intended for visual identification of ground and surface targets by the crew, and measurement of slant distance to them, the corporation reported.

“Yak-130 (tail number 01) was upgraded by Yakovlev design bureau (part of Irkut Corporation) in accordance with the requirements of foreign customers; the upgrade is focused on increasing the jet’s combat effectiveness (Yak-130 may be used as a light attack aircraft). The laser rangefinder allows operating Yak-130 jets in mountainous regions with ravines, improves the accuracy in the area of target location and usage of weapons,” Irkut Corporation noted. 

Yak-130 may be fitted with guided and unguided weapons, which allows using the jet for both personnel training and combat missions. The total payload carried by the jet using 9 weapon stations – 3000 kg. Open architecture of the jet’s avionics suite allows expanding the nomenclature of weapons used by adding advanced weapons manufactured in Russia and other countries, the corporation added.