Russia has decided to join a tender on the delivery of six light
fighter jets to the Philippines with its new Yakovlev Yak-130 Mitten
combat trainer, state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on
Wednesday.
“We are taking part in the Philippine tender with the Yak-130
aircraft,” deputy general director of Rosoboronexport, Viktor Komardin,
said at the Defense Services Asia-2012 arms show in Malaysia.
The tender for six aircraft to replace the retired U.S.-built
Northrop F-5A Tiger fighters was announced last year. The results will
be made public in two to three months, the Russian official said. Two
rival designs, the Italian Alenia Aermacchi M-346 and South Korea's KAI
TA-50, are also competing in the tender
The Philippines is a new market for Russian arms exporters. Manila
used to order military equipment mainly from the United States.
“We regard this tender as an opportunity to expand our influence in
the region and to demonstrate the capabilities of our military
equipment,” Komardin said.
The Yak-130 is a highly maneuverable aircraft with an extended range
of about 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) and a maximum speed of 1,060
km/h (600 m/h) in level flight. It can carry a combat payload of up to
3,000 kilograms (6,600 pounds), consisting of a variety of Russian and
Western developed weapons.
The Yak-130 has been chosen as a basic aircraft for Russian Air Force pilot training. First deliveries started in 2009.
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RIA Novosti | April 18, 2012 | Article Link
