Russian Yak-130 operational trainer will take part in the flight program of Farnborough (UK) air show for the first time, Lenta.ru reports.

According to Vladimir Sautov, vice-president on marketing and external communication of Irkut Corporation, “the aircraft with numbers 1 and 2 will be upgraded to flight demonstrators” for taking part in the air show.

Farnborough 2012 air show will take place in July, 9-15. At that it will be opened for the visitors only on July 14th and 15th. After the Farnborough air show Yak-130 will also perform flights on other international exhibitions. In particular, it will take part in Dubai and Singapore air shows in 2013, and in FIDAE 2014 show in Chile. Russia has only demonstrated the jet’s mockup at previous international exhibitions.

Yak-130 has been designed by Yakovlev design bureau in accordance with the order of Russian Ministry of Defense. It is intended for training of future pilots of fifth-generation fighters and front-line aircraft. Yak-130 has high maneuverability; its maximum flight speed is 1060 km/h. The jet is equipped with advanced avionics. Combat-equipped Yak-130 may carry weapons with a total weight of 3 tons.

Yak-130 will be the basic operational trainer of Russian air forces. According to the State program in the area of arms for 2011-2020, Russian air forces will acquire 65 Yak-130s by 2015.