just a bit of an idea. I remember way back at the start there was rumours that a version of the Yak-130 would replace the Su-25 but of course it didnt and it didnt because it wasn't the same sort of aircraft but i still think both aircraft could still work together, both have the same sort of speed and both can operate from rough airfields. and while the yak-130 could still be used as CAS it would be a safer option to use Su-25. Yak-130 already has Helmet-Mounted-Sighting-System, and a double GPS/GLONASS receiver updating an Inertial Reference System for highly accurate navigation and precision targeting, could still various targeting pods, recce pods, EW pods, and wing tip mounts for verba or other anti air missiles.
the Su-25 could carry multiple rocket pods S-5, S-8, S-13 and also S-24 ready to support ground troops, while the Yak-130 could carry standoff munitions, 9K121 Vikhr, Kh-25 (various including anti rad), and Hermes the latter being ideal. you could also have a few Yak-130 with EW pods and recce pods, and a few armed with just anti air missiles to protect the the rest of the aircraft. so in theory the yak-130 fire stand off munitions taking out any threats to the Su-25 then seconds later the Su-25 swoop in to deliver the rocket barrage and straffing with its guns. using the option of yak-130 in this manner would free up Su-25 or other aircraft for this role, so if for example Russia normally sent 4 Su-25 to a mission and two of the Su-25 carried standoff munitions while the other two carried rocket pods or if all four were armed with a mix of each then by using the Yak-130 option you would free up two Su-25, or in the case of 4 mixed armed Su-25 you would now only have to risk 3 Su-25 instead of four getting close to enemy fire. so in my personal view the yak-130 could still have a place in front line missions and be a cheap alternative. (but not a replacement for in close CAS aircraft like Su-25)
Another use for the Yak-130 could be a drone killer/hunter. you could arm the yak-130 with a gun pod, a R-73 on each of the wingtips and a little cluster of verba on hardpoints, and a few rocket pods of S-5 with a and improvment of the S-5Kor (guided) rocket but add in a proximity fuse, and the S-5 family already have various FRAG rockets in service so you could have a mixture of FRAG with guided proximity fuse depending on what your facing drone wise, and if you developed a timed fuse you could fire it into a swarm of drones, they have already the S-5M1 which produces 75 splinters, S-5MO steel ring frag 360 fragments, S-5KP HEAT/FRAG a shaped charge with wound wire fragmentation jacket, and finally S-5S flechette which could explode just before the drone and act like a massive shotgun blast firing 1,000 flechettes which would be good for drone swarms. you could add targeting pod and even EW pod or laser pod that could be used in a soft kill on a drone.
another use would as a cheap rocket barrage platform it would be like a flying BM-21
it could carry S-24, S-5, S-8, S-13 rockets. for example:
option 1:
1x gun pod 12.7mm or 23mm
6x S-24 (R-24) creating 300—400m radius of fragmentation casualty zone creating 4000 fragments that can penetrate up to 25-30 mm
of light armor.
option 2:
1x gun pod 12.7mm
6x S-13 rocket pods each carrying 5 rockets = 30 rockets various types
option 3:
1x gun pod 12.7mm
6x S-8 rocket pods each carrying 20 rockets= 120 rockets of various types
option 4:
1x gun pod 12.7mm
6x S-5 rocket pods eaching carrying 32 rockets= 192 rockets of various types.
just a quick example if option 4 was selected and it fired S-5SB flechette rockets you would end up with it raining a hail storm of flechettes with 192,000-211,200 flechettes raining down on enemy troops ideal for exposed troops out in the open. or if you used the
S-5MO FRAG rocket you would end up with 69,120 fragments. The S-8 and the S-13 also have anti runway rockets, and fuel-air explosive variants the latter would be pretty devastating. Its a pretty scary scenario for troops on the ground with one of these screaming past you firing rockets.