Sokol announces production of Yak-130 from 2002

Published: 11/29/1999

Oleg Demchenko, General Director of Yakovlev, has announced that, from 2002, the Sokol plant in Niznhny Novgorod will begin to start serial production of the Yak-130. Yak"s Italian partner, Aermacchi, will produce the tail and wings of the aircraft, while Sokol will produce the fuselage for the two production lines for the two seat light fighter/trainer in Italy and Russia. Originally planned to go into serial production for the Russian market in 2000 and for the export market in 2002, the Yay/AEM-130 has been beset with funding problems. These were partially resolved in September 1999, when the Italian partner took Russian debt in exchange for further funding the programme (www.concise.org 22nd September 1999). To date, however, neither the Russian nor Italian Air Forces have made a firm commitment to the programme, beyond a three aircraft commitment from Russia, which is a reduction on its initial interest of 10 aircraft announced in January 1997.

Article ID: 1143