Russia to Modernize its Yak-52 Trainers to Shoot Down Ukrainian Kamikaze Drones | Aviation

The Yak-52B2 upgrade includes electronic warfare systems and multifunctional displays that will allow it to combat reconnaissance and attack drones.

After Ukraine began using its Soviet-era Yak-52 training aircraft to shoot down Russian drones, Russia also has announced repurposing the same planes in its inventory with specific upgrades. Russian aerospace executives stated that the modification and upgrade of the plane to the Yak-52B2 standard for a dedicated “UAV countermeasure” role is a priority.

RIA Novosti quoted the head of this project at the Aviasroitel Design Bureau. Dmitry Motin: “Today, one of the priority projects for our bureau is the modernization of the Yak-52 training aircraft into the Yak-52B2 ‘UAV countermeasure aircraft’. At present, we are expecting to receive an airworthiness certificate from the Federal Air Transport Agency.”

The announcement came on the same day Ukraine conducted “one of its largest” ever drone strikes into Moscow, with the RuMoD (Russia Ministry of Defense) claiming it shot down 11 UAVs. Russia has usually used a combination of close/short-range, point-defense AD (Air Defense) systems like Pantsir, EW (Electronic Warfare) and jammers to bring down the drones.

As The Aviationist had reported, Russia had been struggling to…