Over the course of more than a century of aviation history, "flying desks" have served as vehicles of obsolete types. It was believed that the future pilot should learn control skills first on something simple, before landing in the cockpit of a modern aircraft. This tradition was violated by designers of the Design Bureau named. A. S. Yakovleva and NPK Irkut, who created the Yak-130 aircraft, whose technical characteristics are very close to the parameters of interceptors of the fourth, and in some ways even the fifth generation.
"Winged desks"
For four decades, flying schools have been using Czechoslovak L-29 and L-39 for air training. Earlier, future pilots trained on the Yak-52, even earlier - on the Yak-18. Before the war, the famous U-2 (aka Po-2) served as the “flying desk”. After the collapse of the USSR and the entire socialist camp, the machines that made up the technical fleet of higher aviation schools grew old, not only mentally, but also in the simplest, physical sense. The supply of not only the aircraft themselves, but also spare parts, was stopped, and the engine life was steadily exhausted. The situation was aggravated by the lag of the technical training base from the real situation in the Air Force units, which began to receive the latest interceptors and front-line systems MiG-29 and Su-27. On the L-39, preparing pilots for modern cars became problematic, if not impossible. In addition, there was a flight training school in Russia that enjoyed a high international reputation, and it would be wrong to lose this market.
In the early 90s, the command of the Air Force of the USSR initiated the start of design work in the field of creating the latest training aircraft. Ultimately, the Yak-130 was recognized as the best: its technical characteristics were most consistent with the wishes of the military. However, this did not happen right away; there was a competition ahead.
Competitive selection
Four design bureaus presented their ideas regarding the architecture of the future UTK (educational complex) in early 1991:
- "Sukhoi Design Bureau."
- ANPK MiG.
- OKB them. A.S. Yakovleva.
- EMZ them. V. M. Myasishchev.
TTZ was compiled somewhat vaguely, and for this reason the concepts varied significantly. Sukhoi Design Bureau proposed the S-54 model, which is a version of the Su-27 interceptor, adapted for training tasks. This machine was more suitable for training already experienced pilots than for beginners. Mikoyanovtsy, realizing the economic difficulties in the country, took the path of minimizing costs, and as a result they got an inexpensive, but not quite meeting the Air Force’s aspirations. Myasishchev’s design bureau approached the issue creatively, proposing a complex version consisting of a directly “winged school desk” and a ground-based training complex, but they got carried away a bit and their project turned out to be too expensive, and also not twin-engine, as indicated in the statement of work. The Yakovlevites turned out to be the most successful, having managed to comply with almost all the requirements most optimally. The swept-like, closest to the modern scheme, flight characteristics of the Yak-130, as well as a set of additional options in the form of functional and procedural simulators based on a personal computer and display classes, provided certain advantages. According to the decision of the scientific and technical committee of the Air Force, agreements were concluded with two design bureaus - Mikoyan and Yakovlev, who were offered to work together.
Foreign partners
Problems with state financing of the first years of the existence of independent Russia are well known. To ensure the solution of the tasks set, the design bureau was faced with the need to find investors. In particular, the French companies Turbomeka (engines) and Thomson (avionics), who are experiencing difficulties in connection with the closure of the Alpha Jet program, have shown interest in the project. The Italians (the aircraft manufacturer Ermakki), also crowded by the British in the market, also expressed their intention to cooperate. At this moment, another important marketing aspect was realized, which was that a “clean” training aircraft is unlikely to be in high demand on the market, but if it can also be used as a combat aircraft, then another thing. It turned out that the Yak-130, the tactical and technical characteristics of which, including the operational radius, the mass of the load being lifted, speed and maneuverability, met the foreign requirements, is quite suitable.
Aerodynamics and general layout
Some changes in the requirements were reflected in the appearance of the airframe: its nose became rounder (now it has a radar or optical-radar station). Now it was necessary to train not only Russian, but also foreign pilots, and this should be taken into account in the design of the Yak-130. The technical characteristics of the latest machines, both the Russian Su-27 and MiG-29, and the American F-16, were carefully analyzed. It turned out that the aircraft needed to increase the maximum angle of attack to 40 ° and even higher. On the whole, super-maneuverability was needed. The general aerodynamics turned out to be similar to the scheme adopted for the fifth generation of interceptors, including the special shape of the wing and its high mechanization, all-turning stabilizers and vertical tail unit shifted forward.
Simulator and demonstrator
The most important condition for creating a new training aircraft was the application of the latest digital technologies. The basis of all on-board systems became Russian instruments and equipment, including integrated digital electric remote control system and the ability to reprogram to determine the type of aircraft that the pilot will have to pilot. Moreover, in the initial period of training, the aircraft is “loyal” to a novice cadet, he forgives him mistakes, and then becomes more and more strict. The Russian Air Force most often simulates flights on Su and MiGs, but, in principle, there is nothing difficult in creating a complete illusion of managing the European Mirage 2000, Rafal, Typhoon or the American F-18, F- 16 and F-15 and even F-35, introducing their tactical and technical characteristics into the simulator program. The Yak-130D (the additional letter means "demonstrator") made its first flight in April 1996.
External pendants
If necessary, the aircraft can be used as a strike unit.
Up to three tons of missiles or bombs can carry the Yak-130. Technical characteristics, including rate of climb and maneuverability, of a fully loaded vehicle, of course, will deteriorate, but this is permissible in the case of assault strikes in conditions of air domination.
Following the general concept of universality of application, designers equipped the aircraft with eight suspension units under the wings and one ventral pylon. Armaments can be equipped in various combinations:
- UR R-73 "air-to-air" - 4 pcs.
- UR X-25M "air-surface" - 4 pcs.
- NURSs in blocks UB-32, PU-O-25 and other calibers (from 57 to 266 mm) - according to the number of suspensions.
- Aerial bombs of 250 or 500 kg (including concrete) - according to mass restrictions.
- Bomb cassettes RBC-500.
- Incendiary tanks -500.
- Containers cannon.
To increase the combat radius, one or three pylons can be used to suspend additional fuel tanks.
Characteristics
Objective indicators are impressive, especially considering the relatively small size and weight of the Yak-130.
Flight performance of the Yak-130:
- length - 11,245 mm;
- wing span - 9 720 mm;
- height - 4 760 mm;
- maximum take-off weight - up to 9 tons;
- combat load - 3 tons;
- maximum speed - 1050 km / h;
- practical ceiling - 12,000 m;
- permissible overloads from +8 G to -3G;
- permissible angle of attack - 40 degrees .;
- range without PTB - up to 1060 km;
- distillation range without PTB - up to 2000 km;
- take-off run - 335 m;
- takeoff speed - 195 km / h;
- landing speed - 180 km / h;
- motor resource - 10 thousand flight hours or 30 calendar years.
Government order
At the end of the millennium, the release of military pilots was significantly reduced compared to Soviet times. However, in addition to the schools, of which there are only three, the need for a new machine is experienced by retraining centers for flight personnel. In addition, the price of fuel has grown significantly over the past decade, and the modern Yak-130 compares favorably with the usual L-39 in terms of fuel economy (only 600 l / h). Description, tactical and technical characteristics, training opportunities for piloting on machines of different types - all this led to the start of serial production of the new UTI.
Prospects
The main customer is the Russian Air Force. The aircraft is produced at the Sokol NAZ with a pace of about a dozen cars annually. It is planned to form training regiments in Krasnodar. Air Force Commander General of the Army V. Mikhailov personally tested the Yak-130. Technical characteristics of the aircraft, maneuverability, a wide range of speeds and ease of control made a good impression on him. In the coming years, the number of machines in training units and retraining centers is planned to be increased to three hundred, and experts estimate the total market capacity, including foreign buyers, at 1000.