The Iranian Army’s four divisions, namely the Ground Force, Air Force, Navy and Air Defense, have been conducting a large-scale joint war game, codenamed Zolfaqar 1403, which covers a large area stretching from the northern Indian Ocean to the Makran coasts in southeastern Iran.
In an aerial operation during the war game on Monday, the Yak-130 military aircraft of the Air Force flew in tandem with two MiG-29 fighter jets to intercept and shoot down a drone.
The Yak-130 jet fired advanced missiles to detonate the hostile drone.
Iran hasn’t acquired any new fighter aircraft in recent years, excluding a few Russian MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters it bought in the 1990s.
Iran and Russia have signed major deals to boost their economic, trade, energy and military cooperation.
In September 2023, the Iranian Air Force received its first Russian-made Yak-130 jet trainers.
Developed by Russia’s Yakovlev and Aermacchi, the Yakovlev Yak-130 is a subsonic two-seat jet trainer and light combat aircraft.
The advanced aircraft would allow Iranian military pilots to undergo training in operating 4+ and fifth-generation fighter jets, like Sukhoi Su-57.