Business news

MINSK, 25 March (BelTA) – The Belarusian state-run public association DOSAAF (the Volunteer Society for Cooperation with the Army, Aviation, and Fleet) intends to buy eight Yak-152 aircraft, BelTA learned from the latest issue of the Belarusian Defense Ministry’s newspaper Vo Slavu Rodiny.

Chairman of the DOSAAF Central Council, Major-General (Reserve) Ivan Dyrman is quoted as saying that Belarus’ DOSAAF has signed a framework agreement with the Russian corporation Irkut for the sake of buying eight combat and training aircraft Yak-152. According to the source, the Belarusian side is now waiting for the aircraft’s testing to finish and the decision on which engines they will get to be made. Earlier Ivan Dyrman was quoted as saying that Belarusian DOSAAF may get new Yak-152 aircraft in 2017-2018.

BelTA reported earlier that in October 2015 the Russian corporation Irkut handed over one Yak-52 aircraft to Belarusian DOSAAF for free. Pilots are now being trained using aircraft of this type. The Belarusian side intends to renew the aircraft fleet by switching to Yak-152s since they allow training pilots for Yak-130 jet aircraft. Yak-130 jet aircraft have recently entered service of the Belarusian army.

The Yak-152 cockpit resembles that of Yak-130 aircraft as much as possible. The resemblance allows better quality of the initial training of the pilots who will later fly Yak-130 aircraft and even more serious aircraft after that.