MOSCOW. April 18 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Air Force will receive three YAK-130 combat trainers by the end of the year, a source in the Air Force Staff told Interfax-Military News Agency on Friday.
"This year, we will receive three out of 10 planes ordered from the industry, and the other seven will be supplied in 2004," the source said.
The 10 YAK-130 planes will be sent to the Krasnodar Air Force Institute to train flight personnel.
"Moreover, the procurement of the MIG-AT trainers is being considered," the source noted.
"Today the L-39 Albatros is the main plane for training military pilots. The service life of these planes will have expired by 2010. By that time the Air Force is planning to have its training aircraft park fully renewed," the source stressed.
He noted that cadets of flight colleges have not fully accomplished the flight program due to lack of fuel and spare parts for aircraft in the past few years. "Graduates spend a little more than 200 hours in the air, which is 60-70% of the flight program," the source added.