First Vietnam Yak-130 on Irkutsk Aviation Plant production line noted

No information was published on the aircraft's delivery schedule to Vietnam, but at the end of October 2020, the first Yakovlev Yak-130 trainer, adorned with a Vietnamese flag, and construction number 130.12.05-103 was noted at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant (Russia).

As already mentioned at Scramble Facebook News in 2019, Vietnam signed a USD 350 million contract to purchase at least twelve Yakovlev 130 (combat) advanced training aircraft.

Within the Không quân Nhân dân Việt Nam (Vietnam People's Air Force), the Yak-130s will serve with the 915th Aviation Training Regiment at the Air Force Officer School at Dong Tac Air Base. The 915th Aviation Training Regiment is responsible for student pilots undergoing training before piloting the Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30MK2 fighters and fighter-bombers.

The Yak-130s will replace the aging fleet of Czech-built Aero L-39C Albatros' training aircraft operating with the 910th Aviation Training Regiment.

Photo: Screencap from Rossija-24 Television