VKS trainer aircrafts status and needs

The Ministry of Defense is testing two new training aircraft for the initial training of pilots

The Russian Ministry of Defense is testing two promising training aircraft at once for training pilots. This was announced by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at a conference call at the Ministry of Defense.

According to the head of the military department, the Ministry of Defense is currently testing the Yak-152 and UTS-800 initial flight training trainers. These aircraft are considered by the military as promising for training aviation . The minister stressed that for high-quality training of cadets, it is necessary to have 500 new training aircraft and 200 helicopters.

At what stage the tests are and other details on the choice of the TCB are not reported.

Information on the Yak-152 trainer aircraft is available. The development of the Yak-152 training aircraft began in 2014 as part of the ROC with the code "Ptichka-VVS". The first prototype of the aircraft appeared already in 2016. The UAC promised to deliver the first serial Yak-152s for the Ministry of Defense this year.

Machine length - 7.8 m, wingspan - 8.8 m, area - 12.9 sq. M. Maximum takeoff weight - 1700 kg. The maximum speed is determined at 500 km / h, the range at full refueling (245 kg) is 1500 km. Avionics is unified with the Yak-130 and ensures the creation of a single training complex.

But there is very little information on the UTS-800 trainer aircraft. It is known that it is being developed by the Ural Civil Aviation Plant (UZGA), the model of the aircraft was presented at the Army-2020 exhibition. The aircraft is equipped with a VK-800 engine, the take-off weight is declared at 2100 kg.

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Flanky wrote:Beautiful little machine. Reminds me of Embraer T-27. With 2 - 4 pylons for light weight weapons it could be used in counter insurgency.

Quite a bit smaller than the T-27's. Most likely going to stick to the basic trainer role - but it's nice and nimble.

Only information I could find on the UTS-800....

http://bastion-karpenko.ru/uts-800-samolet/

A few links and photos there...

UTS-800 is more acceptable as it have domestic engine VK-800. But this is more advanced trainer with turboprop engine, similarly to PC-9 and could replace L-39 between basic trainer and Yak-130. Still is question of basic trainer, which Yak-152 should be. They have problems with engine as US put sanctions on Red engines. They have a proper solution for the time, before the question of engine for Yak-152 is solved. RuAF already bought twin engine DA-42 trainers from UZGA for transport aviation school. UZGA also produce single engine DA-40 for civil market, which could be bought for RuAF academies for basic trainers.

UTS-800 – training complex for initial training of pilots. 

A traditional flight crew training course consists of an initial flight training program, a core or basic program, and a refresher program. One way to reduce costs is to switch from a three-to two-stage training model, in which the initial and main training is performed on the same type of aircraft, preferably a turboprop.

A training aircraft capable of solving such tasks is, for example, the Pilatus PC-9, developed by Pilatus Aircraft. The machine is widely used all over the world. Based on the PC-9, many modifications were built, including the T-6 Texan II training aircraft, which is the main TCB of initial and basic training in the United States. The average cost per flight hour of this type of aircraft is several times less than that of jet aircraft, and pilot training is much cheaper.

In Russia, the Yak-152, equipped with a 500-horsepower RED A03 V12 piston diesel engine of the German company RED Aircraft GmbH, is currently being tested. The peculiarity of this aircraft is that it is part of the training complex, which also includes the Yak-130 aircraft, a procedural simulator, training computer classes and a system of objective control tools. The complex is designed to solve the problems of initial training and professional selection of pilots at an early stage of training.

However, the launch of full-fledged mass production and the start of real operation of the Yak-152 are still delayed. At the same time, the aircraft is a constant participant in the International Aerospace Showrooms in Zhukovsky. The machine is not only shown as part of the static exposition of the Irkut Corporation, but also participates in the flight program of the air show. The history of the Yak-152 began in the early noughties, when the president of the OKB im. Yakovlev Oleg Demchenko decided to re-designate the Yak-54M training aircraft being created in the Yak-152.

The plane made its first flight on September 29, 2016, but its state tests have not yet been completed, and for five years there has been no certainty about the future of the Yak-152. The Ministry of Defense has not yet signed any contracts for the supply of this type of training aircraft to flight schools.

In July 2021, at one of the conference calls at the Russian Defense Ministry, the head of the Department, Sergei Shoigu, said that in order to update the fleet of training aircraft for initial training of combat aviation pilots, comprehensive tests of two promising models-the Yak-152 and UTS-800-will be conducted on a competitive basis.

There is little information about the project being developed by the Ural Civil Aviation Plant. It is known that the first flight copy of the UTS-800 will be assembled in December 2021 at UZGA, i.e., the comparison of the two vehicles can be carried out by the Ministry of Defense no earlier than the second half of 2022 — the Ural machine must first take to the sky and pass at least a program of factory finishing tests. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that the vehicles are fundamentally different in their power plant: the Yak-152 is equipped with an imported piston engine, while the UTS-800 is equipped with a VK-800PS turboprop produced by UEC-Klimov. During the construction of the aircraft, it is planned to use domestic technologies and materials. The main consumer of the UTS-800 will be flight schools of the Aerospace Forces.

About the features of the new aircraft and its production program in Russia interview Dmitry Tinyakov, Chief designer of the UTS-800, told Krylia Rodiny magazine

According to him, the aircraft is being developed in accordance with the current aviation regulations and existing technical requirements received from the operators. UTS-800 allows you to teach piloting techniques for simple and complex aerobatics in the altitude range from 1000 to 8000 m. The aircraft will be able to be based on artificial runways and unpaved runways.

"The UTS-800 has two options for refueling: for performing aerobatics and multi-purpose. By varying the amount of fuel refueled, you can get either an aerobatic plane for training aerobatics, or a significant flight duration, for example, flights on routes or patrols" – Dmitry Tinyakov said.

The aircraft's powerplant consists of one VK-800SP turboprop engine and a four-bladed AV-410P propeller. Power on the shaft in take-off mode is 806 hp. The power plant compartment is equipped with a fire extinguishing system, in addition, the fire alarm system allows you to get timely information about a fire in other compartments of the aircraft.

When designing the UTS-800, the main priorities that determine the development requirements were adopted: low cost of flight hours, reliability, active and passive safety, operational manufacturability, and training efficiency. The development of the machine is carried out with the maximum use of mass-produced domestic components with proven high reliability indicators, resources and service life.

The UTS-800 has a direct-acting mechanical control system. The necessary redundancy of all the main systems is provided: fuel, power supply, flight and navigation equipment, etc. The aerodynamic layout of the aircraft and wing profiling were chosen in order to ensure predictable reactions of the UTS-800 to gross piloting errors. When approaching critical angles of attack, a warning shake is provided. Special attention is paid to the behavior of the aircraft in a tailspin, ensuring safe entry and exit from the tailspin when performing training flights.

The chief designer of the aircraft noted that the flight characteristics of the UTS-800, including the landing speed, were chosen in order to ensure the formation of the necessary piloting skills and flight safety, especially during takeoff and landing. The aircraft is equipped with a hydraulically operated brake flap, which is released automatically when the maximum speed is reached.

The front landing gear is equipped with a steerable wheel, which simplifies taxiing and makes maneuvering around the airfield simple and safe. The separate braking of the wheels of the main chassis supports implemented in the design of the braking system is also aimed at solving this problem.

The crew is provided with the most comfortable conditions – a good view from the cockpit, a modern air conditioning and ventilation system, an anti-overload suit, oxygen equipment for performing flights at high altitudes, and efficient lighting equipment. As part of ensuring the safety of the cadet and instructor, the aircraft is equipped with a bird-resistant canopy of the cockpit light and is equipped with a complex of emergency escape means that allows you to leave the car in the entire range of altitudes and speeds, including on the ground.

The airframe structure is mainly made of domestic polymer composite materials, which provide weight and economic efficiency, high technological efficiency, a large resource and service life of the structure. Such solutions allow you to safely make an emergency landing "on the belly", including on water, but at the same time, the landing gear of the aircraft is equipped with a fully independent backup exhaust system, which minimizes the occurrence of such situations.

The tandem cabin layout allows the cadet to work completely independently with the cabin equipment, while the control priority remains with the instructor, which gives him full control over the cadet's actions. In the course of training, the instructor can simulate the failure of an avionics system, teach piloting techniques in simple and difficult weather conditions, and teach simple and complex aerobatics, including corkscrew flights.

"Within the framework of the UTS-800 project, UZGA is developing a comprehensive solution that provides training of flight and technical personnel in the sky and on the ground, as well as efficient operation and maintenance of the aircraft" – says Dmitry Tinyakov. "The UTS-800 training complex provides for the creation of not only the aircraft itself, but also technical training facilities as part of a simulator and a training class for flight and technical personnel, ground handling facilities and objective control facilities" – he said.

The complex provides training in piloting techniques in full, at any time of the day, in simple and difficult weather conditions, singly and as part of a group. State-of-the-art classroom software will allow you to study the design and operation features of the aircraft, piloting techniques in a simple and accessible form, and analyze training flights based on data obtained from objective control tools.

UTS-800 can be used in state flight training institutions, DOSAAF flying clubs, as well as in other training centers for timely selection at the initial and basic training stages of future professional pilots with savings of tens of millions of rubles for advanced flight training of each of them.

Source: 

The UTS-800 looks like a completely normal alternative to the Yak-152, the situation with which is not yet clear due to the imported engine. However, the development of the UTS-800 is only at the early stages, which may delay the receipt of modern training aircraft by Russian flight schools. And the unification between the Yak-130 and the UTS-800 is very vague, unlike the Yak-130 and Yak-152. But there is still a possible solution to the problem of import substitution of the Yak-152 engine – this is a motor from Aurus. But I do not know if it can be installed on the Yak-152.

The text says it is a four bladed prop, but the images show a five bladed prop.

It is pretty clear the competition has been delayed until the engines for this new plane are ready... it should be interesting to see what happens.

KRET probably make avionics for light planes which likely could be fitted to this new aircraft too at least for testing.

800hp vs 500hp is interesting... quite a difference really... I am guessing a three plane solution  with two turboprop aircraft instead of two jet aircraft would not be ideal...( ie Yak-52, L39, Yak-130... to Yak-152, L39, Yak-130 being one option that is not very satisfactory)

They were talking about that other light jet trainer the SR-10 together with the Yak-130 and the Yak-152 might work but perhaps replacing the SR-10 with this new turboprop aircraft... or if the Yak-152 can't sort out a Russian engine then just the UTS-800 and Yak-130 instead...

Remember the Yak-130 engine was from orc land too, till they developed a local model.

Both the Yak-152 and UTS-800 look even more interesting when you add the perspective of all the new light weight air to ground weapons being developed for Drones that would make such little aircraft rather potent and capable.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/4383611.html

Photo review of the first sample of the UTS-800 trainer aircraft

UTS-800: from general to details

At "Army-2020" UTS-800 was shown as a model at the UZGA stand. A year later, we already see an airplane on statics, which should make its first flight by the end of the year.

Over the past year, the Technical Design has been completed, the release of working design documentation is nearing completion. So progress is visible to the naked eye. But we will take a telescope camera and look at some of the details with an armed eye. And I was also lucky to talk to specialists at the site, they told a few interesting things about UTS-800 and DART-450.

NOTE: apparently the UTS-800 is an enlarged modified version of the Austrian DART-450

Yak-152 vs UTS-800: Russia chooses "flying desk"

Difficulties in transition

The recent International Military-Technical Forum "Army-2021" was remembered for many novelties, but the UTS-800 from the Ural Civil Aviation Plant took a special place in it . A promising trainer aircraft can serve the armed forces well, or, as a project, it can end in nothing.

However, first things first.

Now for the initial training of Russian cadets, Austrian aircraft Diamond DA40 Diamond Star and DA42 Twin Star are used. Cars for the Ministry of Defense are produced under license at the Ural Civil Aviation Plant. As of 2021, 150 DA40 aircraft were manufactured in Russia.

After them, the pilots are trained on such machines as the famous Czechoslovak combat training aircraft L-39 Albatros and the more modern Russian Yak-130. Experts have repeatedly said that this plane is too complicated and expensive, but no one plans to abandon it. Moreover, the great potential of the vehicle makes it possible to use it as a light attack aircraft.

The history of Russian piston trainer aircraft of initial training, which should be replaced by foreign ones, is no less remarkable: this is all the more relevant when you consider that their fate is being decided right now.

According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, a competition is currently being held to find a replacement for the fleet of training vehicles. Yak-152 and UTS-800 are taking part in it .

According to Shoigu, at least 700 well-trained graduate pilots are needed per year to effectively use the potential of existing and prospective airline complexes. For this, the material base of universities must include at least 500 modern training aircraft and two hundred helicopters.

Yak-152

Developed by the Yakovlev Design Bureau and manufactured by PJSC Irkut Corporation, the Yak-152 made its first flight on September 29, 2016, but over all these years, only three prototypes were produced.

Nevertheless, at first glance, everything looks good. As part of the Yak-130 combat training complex, the Yak-152 received a cockpit information and control field that was completely unified with the Yak-130. The combined use of two machines should significantly facilitate the training of flight personnel. The Yak-152 has a tandem arrangement of crew members, the maximum take-off weight is 1480 kilograms, and the maximum speed of the Yak-152 is 500 kilometers per hour (at a cruising speed of 380 kilometers per hour).

The aircraft received an aviation 12-cylinder V-shaped diesel engine RED A03Т V12 (takeoff power is 500 horsepower) of the German company RED Aircraft. It is financed by the Russian holding Finam. On the territory of Russia, these products are assembled and serviced by the Russo-Balt company.

Despite attempts to establish licensed production at the Russian site and partial elimination of dependence on imports, the production of diesel engines for the Yak, apparently, remains the weak point of the project. In favor of this, in particular, says the statement of the general director of the Central Institute of Aviation Motors named after Baranov, Mikhail Gordin.

According to him, the Yak-152 trainer aircraft may receive a domestic engine. True, it is still considered not as a replacement for the RED engine, but as an "analogue". The specialist admits the extremely successful layout of the RED A03Т V12 and the presence of components in it that Russia does not produce. One way or another, so far all this is nothing more than plans and the subject of "separate experimental design development."

UTS-800

Difficulties with the Yak-152 diesel engine open the way for the brainchild of the Ural Civil Aviation Plant (UZGA) - the UTS-800 aircraft. It should receive the Russian VK-800S turboprop engine with a capacity of 800 horsepower. The turboprop modification was developed on the basis of the Russian gas turbine aircraft engine VK-800 manufactured by the Plant named after V.I. V. Ya. Klimov. Within the framework of the program of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Russia, the development of the turboprop version has been carried out by UZGA since 2017.

The task set for the UTS-800 is the same as for the Yak-152. But these are still completely different machines. The maximum take-off weight of the "800" exceeds 2000 kilograms. The empty weight of the car is 1706 kilograms. The Yak-152 has a maximum take-off weight, as mentioned above, - 1480 kilograms.

The maximum horizontal flight speed of the UTS-800 is 460 kilometers per hour, and the cruising speed is 360 kilometers per hour. As a propeller, we chose a product from Aerosila, which has four blades. According to the chief designer of the UTS-800 Dmitry Tinyakov, the aircraft has two types of refueling. One is designed for aerobatics, the other acts as a multipurpose one. Depending on the type of refueling, the car is either suitable for aerobatics, or gets a longer duration in the air.

According to Tinyakov, the price of the aircraft in operation will be five times lower than in the case of the Yak-130. According to various sources, it will amount to either 25 thousand rubles per flight hour, or 32. In any case, the comparison with the Yak-130 is not entirely correct: the machines are in different classes, although they are designed to solve similar problems. But if we compare the price of UTS-800 and Yak-152, then the indicators will clearly not be on the side of the first machine.

In addition, one of the complaints about the UTS-800 was that the car was a "copy" of the Austrian DART-450. But this is not entirely true. The Russian aircraft has a larger cockpit, which allows the pilot to be rescued at zero altitude at zero speed, and the installation of a second seat significantly higher than the first improves visibility. In addition, the air intake on the Russian car was taken out slightly lower than in the case of the DART.

UTS-800, with all its theoretical pluses and minuses, has never been in the sky, while the Yak has been flying for a long time (even if we are talking about a very small number of machines). If nothing changes, the Ural Civil Aviation Plant will be able to lift the UTS-800 into the sky by the end of the year. After that, the car will have a long way of testing, which the Yak has already partially passed. Serial production of the UTS-800 is scheduled for 2024.

It should also be said that the very concept of a propeller-driven trainer is sometimes criticized, since it is far from a modern fighter in terms of control, speed, maneuverability, and so on.

As an alternative, they sometimes offer a relatively inexpensive CP-10 trainer equipped with an AI-25TL turbojet engine (it is Ukrainian, so the aircraft should go into production with the Russian AL-55). The car made its first flight in 2015. One prototype has been built to date.

https://topwar-ru.translate.goog/186870-jak-152-vs-uts-800-rossija-vybiraet-letajuschuju-partu.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=ajax,elem,se

Report of the Deputy Director of CAST Maxim Sysoev on the topic “Turboprop or jet? Modern Air Force and the Problem of Choosing a Training Aircraft"

Translation subtitles not available.

Anyone want to give the gist of what he is talking about?

Defense enterprises developing new aircraft to upgrade existing training vehicles — Shoigu

https://tass.com/defense/1740891

Interesting, but not something we didn't already know unfortunately.

So it is clear there is going to be a new trainer of a new design... but the UTS-800 and the SR-10 and the Yak-152 and the MiG-UTS are all new trainers...

I would say that the Yak-52 and the L-39 need to be replaced, so something put into production to operate with the Yak-130 as a training aircraft... the only one that could do it on its own would be the UTS-800, but I think an 800hp turbo prop is too much for most students learning to fly... the Yak-152 would be better in that regard, but the MiG-UTS and SR-10 couldn't replace the Yak-52 because they are even more of a step up for the students.

Personally I would prefer to see two new aircraft introduced but Shoigu might consider the Yak-152 as already being the replacement for the Yak-52, so the new light trainer could be the aircraft to replace the foreign aircraft in the line up... the L-39.

This would mean the new aircraft is either the UTS-800, the SR-10, or the MiG-UTS to replace the L39.

Or is he talking about the Yak-152 that is going to be introduced to replace the Yak-52 with an all Russian type that can replace all the foreign types with foreign engines with an all Russian type?

We will have to wait and see I guess.

Just as a thought, a light trainer like all these aircraft would be rather interesting moving forward because they generally have a weapon capacity of 1 to 3 tons, but modern light guided weapons designed for drones would be ideal for such aircraft and their small size and light weight and reasonable speed would make them rather useful to fly around friendly airspace dealing with drones... even if they carry a centreline pod with MMW radar to search for flying threats like enemy drones to pass on to the IADS they would be rather useful...

As long as they are all Russian then they could produce any or all of them, there will be a few roles they will find for new light aircraft types and anything that is all Russian the various Russian government and military departments can order and buy in quite a few numbers and of course DOSAAF can buy a few hundred more.

The UTS-800 could be developed into a light patrol aircraft or an anti drone type and for light attack and recon roles, and just an aerobatic plane.

The Yak-152 seems to be designed from the outset to replace the Yak-52 and the MiG-UTS appears to be custom designed to replace the L39 directly which could also serve as a civilian light trainer aircraft that is good enough for civilian flight training that is not as expensive or complex as the Yak-130 that would probably be too much for an org like DOSAAF or civilian flight training roles.

Regarding the engines the engine from the Aurus car would be interesting to compare with the engine created for the Yak-152 because the latter was supposed to be a leader in its field and rather a clever design for its size and power.

The Aurus car engine might be useful for lower engine power ranges, while the German engine might be good for even more powerful models or perhaps it might scale better and be good across the board for new diesel engines.

Would like to see them invest in decent turbochargers and turbo superchargers to boost engine performance and perhaps replace a range of foreign engines for a variety of roles with these new design concepts.

Would it scale up to better ship and train engines, or is it too late and perhaps it might be better to focus on electric motors and simpler smaller lighter gas turbine engines to generate electric current for those electric motors.

Today I was reading a book called Unflown wings, which is about Russian and Soviet aircraft that were designed but never flew and it talks about a Sukhoi project called S-54 that was going to be an L39 replacement aircraft and that it developed into a forward swept aircraft that appears to be the SR-10.

It is frustrating because the book does not have an index and it mentions at the end of the article in the Sukhoi section that the designer left Sukhoi and went to KB SAT and that more information about the aircraft would be in chapter 10 which is the section on other design bureaus.

I have looked through chapter 10 page by page and cannot find any entry on the SR-10, which, at the time the book was written I assume the aircraft had not flown yet.

Or maybe it did fly and was removed from the chapter but the link from the Sukhoi origin was not corrected.

Now for the initial training of Russian cadets, Austrian aircraft Diamond DA40 Diamond Star and DA42 Twin Star are used. Cars for the Ministry of Defense are produced under license at the Ural Civil Aviation Plant. As of 2021, 150 DA40 aircraft were manufactured in Russia.

After them, the pilots are trained on such machines as the famous Czechoslovak combat training aircraft L-39 Albatros and the more modern Russian Yak-130. Experts have repeatedly said that this plane is too complicated and expensive, but no one plans to abandon it. Moreover, the great potential of the vehicle makes it possible to use it as a light attack aircraft.

So the Yak-52 are not used the primary trainer is an Austrian design, the DA40, and this new UTS-800 is a copy with a Russian engine.

I do wish people would stop talking about the great potential for light attack the Yak-130 has, because if it is too expensive to be a good LIFT on its own then it is probably too expensive for light attack where it will need added armour and redundant equipment so it can take some hits and a decent self defence avionics suite.

It is OK for the Yak-130 to be the little bit expensive trainer as long as there is a cheaper one you can use in larger numbers.

Light attack versions don't make sense for Russia when Geraniums are so cheap and so effective.

According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, a competition is currently being held to find a replacement for the fleet of training vehicles. Yak-152 and UTS-800 are taking part in it .

According to Shoigu, at least 700 well-trained graduate pilots are needed per year to effectively use the potential of existing and prospective airline complexes. For this, the material base of universities must include at least 500 modern training aircraft and two hundred helicopters.

The Defence Minister obviously wont admit to expansion of the Russian AF with more light fighterbombers, so saying new airlines will need pilots would make sense. Of course considering airlines are not adding a huge number of aircraft to their fleets, they are getting rid of western designs and replacing them with Russian models so I would think there would be no massive increase in demand for pilots there anyway.

But obviously they do need to train pilots and Russian training aircraft just make sense too.

The problems between the UTS-800 and Yak-152 makes you think maybe both get together and fit the new engine from the UTS-800 into the Yak-152 and have a Russian plane with a Russian engine and no conflict with Austria over copying their design.

So really the problems are obviously engine related but are a question of foreign types and Russian types, with the current DA40 and L39 being foreign an the Yak-130 too expensive to operate on its own.

The solutions are a Yak-152 which lacks a suitable engine, but otherwise unifies its design and cockpit rather well with the Yak-130 (understandably by the same company), the UTS-800, which is a modified DA-40 with a new engine from Russia.

The problem is the engine for the latter will take some time and money to get flying and in serial production, while the Yak-152 doesn't really have an engine available to use though it could get a new engine based on the VK-650 and be a turboprop too, or the diesel engine from a car could be used.

The Russian guy that developed the engine is currently in German jail for espionage isn't he?

Presumably for allowing Russia access to the engine they bloody paid for...

I think when it comes to seizing assets and taking over western companies that is a good place to start for Russia regarding the EU and west stealing interest from Russian overseas assets.

I would guess the MiG-UTS to replace the foreign types from the other direction (replacing the L39 instead of the D40) makes sense because according to the article above which says:

According to Tinyakov, the price of the aircraft in operation will be five times lower than in the case of the Yak-130. According to various sources, it will amount to either 25 thousand rubles per flight hour, or 32.

So the Yak-130 must cost five times 25K-32K roubles per hour in flight costs.... which is 125K to 160K per hour... which is about 1,450 to 1,820 US dollars per hour, which is not enormous, but over 500 planes that mounts up.

It is interesting that this will be the costs of the UTS-800 become about 285 to 364 US dollars per hour, with the Yak-152 being significantly less.

The articles I have seen mention the MiG-UTS is being designed to be the easiest to fly and the cheapest and easiest to support and maintain to replace the L39.

It, no doubt will take advantage of the MiG-AT design and the tech and equipment developed for it, and interestingly that might actually make sense for a light attack aircraft more than a more expensive type.

Cheaper and simpler makes it easier to operate and support and for the actual technology and capability you could use a targeting pod or two with light AESA radar and EO equipment to enable precision light attack capacity without making the aircraft expensive.

The first concepts of the F-16 envisioned it remaining a light day bomber with its flybywire equipment intended to reduce weight and costs and it was supposed to just carry AAMs, but it ended up getting more complex and expensive.

Many proponents of the F-16 actually wanted it to remain a simple day fighter... light and nimble with a capable radar and the ability to deliver dumb bombs accurately with CCIP avionics.

A simple cheap light attack aircraft that could deliver dumb bombs with glide kits attached and can loft rockets into the air in the direction of the target... why not use the MIG-UTS instead of the Su-25?

Actual combat attacks are not using 8 rocket pods launching full volleys of hundreds of rockets... most of the time they have two pods and sometimes they don't even appear to be full of rockets when launching their salvoes.

The Yak-130 was tested as a replacement for the Su-25 but failed... but now with standoff weapons like LMUR and operations with drones for which a two seat might be better suited, and of course glide kits and a range of new weapons with wings to extend standoff launch range including weapons like Grom, which is a rocket powered bomb using the body of the Kh-38 with glide wings, well maybe the days of the dedicated ground attack platform are numbered... as BMPs get airburst 57mm guns the role of the A-10/Su25 might be over...

Being more sneaky with hiding behind things and launching drones to scout ahead with the Ka-52 and Mi-28 might be the future of CAS, working with aircraft operating further back from the lines lofting weapons?

But I still think a light fighter with AESA radar and long range EO carrying those same standoff weapons would be better value for money...

GarryB wrote:

I would guess the MiG-UTS to replace the foreign types from the other direction (replacing the L39 instead of the D40) makes sense because according to the article above which says:

According to Tinyakov, the price of the aircraft in operation will be five times lower than in the case of the Yak-130. According to various sources, it will amount to either 25 thousand rubles per flight hour, or 32.

So the Yak-130 must cost five times 25K-32K roubles per hour in flight costs.... which is 125K to 160K per hour... which is about 1,450 to 1,820 US dollars per hour, which is not enormous, but over 500 planes that mounts up.

It is interesting that this will be the costs of the UTS-800 become about 285 to 364 US dollars per hour, with the Yak-152 being significantly less.

The articles I have seen mention the MiG-UTS is being designed to be the easiest to fly and the cheapest and easiest to support and maintain to replace the L39.

It, no doubt will take advantage of the MiG-AT design and the tech and equipment developed for it, and interestingly that might actually make sense for a light attack aircraft more than a more expensive type.

Cheaper and simpler makes it easier to operate and support and for the actual technology and capability you could use a targeting pod or two with light AESA radar and EO equipment to enable precision light attack capacity without making the aircraft expensive.

In the training aeroplane hierarchy that VKS has order is Yak-152 --> MiG-UTS -->Yak-130. Yak-130 is most complex, main reason being is that it was supposed to prepare pilots to fly  4+ and 5 gen planes. It's "twin brother" Aermacchi M-346 is used for the same purpose in Western airforces.
Also, Russia doesn't have 500 of them, but less than 150. I'm not sure what final numbers will be.
For the end, it is a waste of time to try and turn Yak-130 into light FB, imo, since priority for that role should go to drones.