The Royal Lao Air Force has received the batch of three Yak-130 advanced jet trainer aircraft from Russia.

Lao media released a photo of three Russian-made Yak-130 trainer aircraft received by the People’s Army of Laos at the Vientiane airfield. Aircraft have Lao tail numbers “044”, “045” and “046”.

The first Yak-130 aircraft for Laos (tail number “044”) was delivered to the capital of Laos, Vientiane on December 20, 2018 from Irkutsk on board the IL-76TD transport aircraft (registration number RA-78765) of the Russian airline Aviakon Citotrans.

The Yakovlev Yak-130 is a subsonic two-seat advanced jet trainer and light fighter originally developed by Yakovlev.

As an advanced training aircraft, the Yak-130 is able to replicate the characteristics of several 4+ generation fighters as well as the fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57. It can also perform light-attack and reconnaissance duties, carrying a combat load of 3,000 kg.