Myanmar Air Force Received Six More Yak-130 Combat Training Aircraft

30 Desember 2021

Six new Yak-130 of the Myanmar Air Force (photos : MRTV-Dambiev)

It is reported that on December 15, 2021, at the already traditional ceremony dedicated to the 74th anniversary of the Myanmar (Burmese) aviation at the airfield of the Myanmar Air Force Flight School Meithil (near Mandalay), 17 different aircraft and helicopters were officially introduced to the Myanmar Air Force, including six new Russian-made Yak-130 combat training aircraft. As can be judged, the Yak-130 planes put into operation at the ceremony have Myanmar side numbers from "1815" to "1820", which brings the total

number of Yak-130s received by the Myanmar Air Force to 20 units, making Myanmar the largest foreign operator of this type.

In addition to six Yak-130s, four Chinese K-8W combat trainers, four Chinese Y-12 light transport aircraft and one ATR 72-600 regional turboprop passenger aircraft and two Airbus AS365N2 Dauphin 2 helicopters purchased from the secondary market were also handed over to the Myanmar Air Force.

Recall that a publicly unannounced contract for the supply of an unnamed number of Yak-130 aircraft to Myanmar was signed by Rosoboronexport on June 22, 2015. The first three Yak-130 aircraft built by the Irkutsk Aviation Plant (a branch of Irkut Corporation PJSC ) under this contract were delivered to Myanmar at the end of 2016 and were transferred to the Myanmar Air Force in February 2017, having received Myanmar side numbers "1801", "1802" and "1803" (serial numbers from 130.12.03-0101 to 130.12.03-0103). In the fall of 2017, the Myanmar Air Force received the next batch of three Yak-130 aircraft with side numbers "1804", "1805" and "1806" (serial numbers from 130.12.03-0104 to 130.12.03-0106). The official ceremony of entering the first six received Yak-130s into the Myanmar Air Force took place on December 15, 2017, at the Meithila airfield.

In December 2018, the following six Yak-130 aircraft with tail numbers from "1807" to "1812" (serial numbers from 130.12.03-0107 to 130.12.03-0112) were delivered to Myanmar. They were put into operation in Myanmar Air Force at a ceremony at the airport Meiktila December 15, 2019.

AS-365N2 Dauphin and Y-12 light transport (photo : MWD)

Two more Yak-130 aircraft with tail numbers "1813" and "1814" (presumptive serial numbers 130.12.03-0113 and 130.12.03-0114) were apparently delivered to Myanmar in late 2019 or early 2020. There is no data on their commissioning, but, most likely, this also took place at the next ceremony in Meithila on December 15, 2020.

The additional six Yak-130 aircraft, with tail numbers from "1815" to "1820," put into operation by the Myanmar Air Force, were, according to known data, built at the IAP in 2020 and, presumably, delivered to Myanmar at the end of the same year. Their alleged serial numbers are apparently from 130.12.03-0115 to 130.12.03-0120.

Thus, now Myanmar has received a total of 20 Yak-130 aircraft. Other foreign recipients of the Yak-130 produced by IAP are Algeria (17 aircraft), Bangladesh (16), Belarus (12), Vietnam (six out of 12 ordered), Laos (four).

MTX-1A piston light trainer made by Mtanmar (photo : Myanmar Air Force)

It should be noted that at the ceremony on December 15, 2021 at the Meithila airfield, the MTX-1A piston light trainer aircraft of Myanmar national production was also demonstrated in the air for the first time. In fact, it is localized in Myanmar Chinese Nanchang CJ-6 trainer aircraft, which in turn is a modified clone of the old Soviet Yak-18 trainer aircraft.

As for the four Chinese K-8W combat trainers handed over at the ceremony on December 15, 2021, to the Myanmar Air Force, we recall that Myanmar previously received 12 K-8 aircraft under a 1998 contract, and in 2009 signed an agreement with the Chinese side regarding the acquisition 48 (according to other sources, 50) modified K-8W aircraft with their assembly in Myanmar. As can be judged, the implementation of this agreement was very delayed, and the assembly of K-8W aircraft from vehicle kits supplied from the PRC was started at the Myanmar Air Force aircraft repair plant in Meithila only in 2016. The exact number of K -8W aircraft already assembled there is unknown, but, according to one of the reports, before the ceremony on December 15, 2021, it was 20 units.

(BMPD)