The IDF announced Wednesday morning at 10:30 a.m. that an Israeli F-35I had shot down an Iranian YAK-130, marking the war’s initial fighter jet dogfight.
Manufacture of the Russian-built YAK-130 commenced in the 1990s.
Primarily, it serves as an advanced trainer for pilots flying more sophisticated Russian jets like the SU-57, though it also has ground attack capabilities.
The IDF struck Iranian fighter jets on Sunday afternoon, preventing their takeoff.
At the time of the IDF’s strike, an F4 and an F5 fighter jet were positioned on the runway, ready for departure.
Composed mainly of older F4 and F5 fighters, Iran’s air force is largely outdated and struggles against Israel’s modern F-15s, F-16s, and F-35s, although the YAK-130 represents a more contemporary asset.
Even a few Iranian fighter jets could pose a threat to Israeli and American drones and would generally make the airspace more complex, hindering close-proximity “stand-in” offensives.
Within the conflict’s initial two days, Israel and the US secured broad air superiority over Tehran, enabling them to conduct “stand-in” attacks, maintaining an unhindered presence above targets for prolonged durations.
Prior to this incident, the Israeli Air Force’s most recent aerial victory occurred on November 24, 1985, when an F-15 “Baz” engaged and shot down two Syrian MiG-23s over Lebanon.