An Israeli Air Force F-35I “Adir” stealth fighter jet has shot down an Iranian YAK-130 aircraft over Tehran. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are calling the shootdown the first instance of an F-35 downing a manned fighter jet.
The incident occurred amid an ongoing Israeli air campaign against targets in Iran’s capital, including what the IDF has termed “extensive” strikes in a tenth wave of operations targeting Iranian military infrastructure.
In a statement released Wednesday morning, the IDF said the F-35I intercepted and destroyed the Russian-made YAK-130 aircraft belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF).
“An Israeli Air Force Adir (F-35I) jet shot down an Iranian combat aircraft (YAK-130) over Tehran skies a short time ago,” the military said. “This is the world’s first shootdown of a manned fighter jet by an F-35.”
‘Adir’ is a variant of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II, custom-built for Israel. The customizations include advanced C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence) systems integrated by Israeli engineers that allow seamless real-time data sharing with other Israeli warplanes.
The YAK-130, an advanced trainer aircraft developed by Russia’s Yakovlev design bureau, has been adapted by Iran for light combat roles.
As EurAsian Times reported last year, the Yak-130 is now reportedly armed with the Soviet-origin R-73 air-to-air missile.
An image of one of the Yak-130 aircraft surfaced on social media on December 8 last year. An account that posts updates on the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces and goes by the name ‘Iran Military‘ published the image of the aircraft on X with the caption that read: “First image of an Iranian Yak-130 light combat aircraft in flight – stay tuned!” The missile was identified by experts as an R-73E Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile.
The development came more than a year after Tehran received the Yak-130 military trainer aircraft from Russia. The aircraft was reportedly delivered to Tehran in September 2023, bolstering Iran’s efforts to modernize its near-obsolete Air Force.
The trainer aircraft was expected to train Iranian pilots on frontline fighter aircraft, including the Russian MiG-29, the US-made F-4 Phantom II, the F-14 Tomcat, and other newer jets the country planned to acquire, such as the Su-35.
Yak-130 As A Light Fighter
In addition to serving as a trainer for advanced Russian aircraft, the Yak-130 has a secondary light-attack capability that allows it to strike enemy ground formations and serve as a massive force multiplier.
With a digital cockpit and fly-by-wire controls, the Yak-130 mimics the flight characteristics of modern fighter jets. Although subsonic, it offers a cost-effective alternative for small air forces seeking training and combat capabilities. It can fly from a variety of runways, making it a versatile platform.
The Yak-130 can conduct air-to-air and air-to-ground combat and provide basic and advanced training for aspiring front-line pilots—a mix that makes the aircraft ideal for Iran. The aircraft can also help train for close air support missions and carry several tons of ammunition, including various weapons mounted on the wings and fuselage.
One of the key features of the Yak-130 is its ability to maintain stable, controlled flight at angles of attack up to 35 degrees, placing it at par with jets like MiG-29 and Su-30, as previously explained by EurAsian Times.
With an exceptional thrust-to-weight ratio, the aircraft can endure high g-forces and deliver impressive climb and take-off performance.
The trainer can fly at 41,020 feet, has a maximum take-off weight of 3,000 kilograms, a top speed of 1,060 kilometers/hour, and a range of 1,600 kilometers. It has a detachable in-flight refueling probe and a three-hour endurance (with two drop tanks).
It can also carry extra fuel tanks and two electronic warfare pods on the wings’ ends to extend its operating range, according to some reports.
In addition to the recently photographed R-73, the Yak-130 can carry KAB-500 guided bombs, Kh-29 guided missiles, 80-mm, 122-mm, and 330-mm rockets, and 250- and 500-kilogram bombs.
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