Yak-141

Yak-141

Yak-38M

Yak-141

Yak-38M

USSR

VIII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
12.7	12.7	12.7

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Naval aircraft

Research:400 000

Purchase:1 080 000

Show in game

Description

The Yak-141 is a rank VIII Soviet supersonic VTOL jet fighter with a battle rating of 12.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Sky Guardians". Carrying R-27ERs and boasting a radar range of 70 km, the Yak-141 is a terrifying opponent with fantastic avionics and sensors able to sling the best missiles of its BR at all ranges. Despite the slightly awkward appearance, this plane is a fearsome predator.

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Drogue parachute

Reduces braking distance when landing on any runway

Max speed

at 11 000 m1 847 km/h

Turn time25 s

Max altitude15 000 m

EngineTumansky R79V-300

Type

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight20 t

This jet is shockingly agile, particularly at very high speeds. In addition, being a VTOL jet, it is able to accelerate much more quickly than other aircraft. It is usually the first to the end of the runway, only initially outpaced by Harriers. It can bring enough fuel to afterburn to the middle of the largest of locations, strategically deploy its missiles, usually still afterburning, and return home with fuel to spare. It also has the ability to afterburn while thrust vectoring, which, combined with its manoeuvrability, powerful engines, and hovering potential, make it quite versatile at close ranges, able to outperform and elude the most nimble of conventional fighters. The only downside of this aircraft is its roll rate, which can impair its reactivity at close ranges.

Characteristics	Max speed (km/h at _,___ m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	___	___	15000	__._	__._	__._	__._	___
Upgraded	___	___		__._	__._	__._	__._

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
_	_	_	✓	_	_

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
0	500	___	___	___	~__	~__

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< ___	< ___	< ___	> ___

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
Soyuz R-79V-300 (Main)		1	_,___ kg		___ kg/m2
Rybinsk (RKBM) RD-41 (Lift)		2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)			Max Gross Weight
Weight (each)	Type		_m fuel	__m fuel	__m fuel
___ kg	Afterburning Vectoring-Nozzle Turbofan		_,___ kg	_,___ kg	_,___ kg	_,___ kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
Condition	100%	___%/WEP	_m fuel	__m fuel	__m fuel	MGW
Stationary	___ kgf	___ kgf	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__
Optimal	___ kgf (_ km/h)	___ kgf (_ km/h)	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear500 km/h

Most hits from a missile are fatal, as with any top tier jet, but if used properly, the Yak-141 can dodge even very advanced missiles with its combination of speed and agility. Because of its powerful engine, this aircraft can still fly and manoeuvre effectively even with extensive fuselage damage.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB2 849 → 4 393

RB8 232 → 12 693

SB9 708 → 14 969

Total cost of modifications306 300

466 000

Talisman cost3 100

Crew training310 000

Experts1 080 000

Aces3 400

Research Aces1 280 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

90 / 320 / 490 %

250 / 250 / 250 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor Research: 10 000 Cost: 15 000 400 New boosters Research: 9 900 Cost: 15 000 400 Engine Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 680	Fuselage repair Research: 10 000 Cost: 15 000 400 Airframe Research: 9 900 Cost: 15 000 400 G-suit Research: 9 900 Cost: 15 000 400 Cover Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 600 Wings repair Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 680 EFS Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 680	S-24 Research: 10 000 Cost: 15 000 400 FAB-250 Research: 10 000 Cost: 15 000 400 Flares/Chaff Research: 10 000 Cost: 15 000 400 GSh_301_belt_pack Research: 10 000 Cost: 15 000 400 B-8M1 Research: 9 900 Cost: 15 000 400 FAB-500 Research: 9 900 Cost: 15 000 400 R-27R Research: 9 900 Cost: 15 000 400 GSh_301_new_gun Research: 9 900 Cost: 15 000 400 B-13L Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 600 R-27ER Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 600 R-60M Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 600 ns23_belt_pack Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 600 R-27ET Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 680 R-27T Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 680 ns23_new_gun Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 680

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns)	CCIP (Rockets)	CCIP (Bombs)	CCRP (Bombs)

Offensive armament

The Yak-141 is armed with:

• A choice between two presets:
  • 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon, belly-mounted (120 rpg)
  • 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

Suspended armament

The Yak-141 can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

• Without load
• 2 x R-60M missiles
• 4 x R-60M missiles
• 4 x R-27R missiles
• 2 x R-27ER missiles
• 4 x R-27T missiles
• 128 x S-5K rockets
• 80 x S-8KO rockets
• 4 x S-24B rockets
• 20 x S-13OF rockets
• 16 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (1,600 kg total)
• 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (1,000 kg total)
• 4 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total)
• 4 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
• 4 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg = 1,000 total)

Custom loadout options

	1	2	3	4
23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg)	1	1	1	1
100 kg OFAB-100 bombs	4	4	4	4
250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs	1	1	1	1
500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs	1	1	1	1
ZB-500 incendiary bombs	1	1	1	1
S-5K rockets	32	32	32	32
S-8KO rockets	20	20	20	20
S-13OF rockets	5	5	5	5
S-24B rockets	1	1	1	1
R-27ER missiles		1	1
R-27R missiles	1	1	1	1
R-27T missiles	1	1	1	1
R-60M missiles	1	1	1	1
Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,000 kg

Usage in battles

The Yak-141 is a very versatile aircraft, competitive if not dominant in all kinds of combat. It is a monster in long range engagements, with an advanced radar and almost flawless SARH missiles, as long as an opponent does not notch your radar, their lifetime is measured in seconds. This jet also excels in close combat, its cannon and R-60s making short work of opponents. For the tough cases, you can transition into relying on your VTOL ability to bring the fight to your strengths, stall speed fighting.

Long Range

As most initial engagements will begin at long range, it is recommended to bring two R-27ERs. These missiles are almost unilateral improvements on the R variants, with little sacrifice for a vast increase in range. Before enemies are spotted, switch the radar to HDN or head-on mode, so it searches slightly better for the hot aircraft you know are out there. It is also recommended to increase the scan azimuth of your radar so that you have a better chance of finding something. When contacts appear, you can filter out the AI planes based on distance and formation. They will be well ahead of the the first players, usually starting as one contact that slowly fragments. When other contacts come within range, it is recommended to use TWS or Track While Search mode to learn their placement in the sky and heading without alerting them of your attention. You can also use the "Switch selected target" function to check many different targets position and closing speed. Using this information, you can filter out targets based on closing speed and altitude. Contacts closing faster than about 700 m/s are probably missiles, while targets under about 450 m/s could easily notch your radar if they notice a lock. You also want to avoid targets that are hugging the ground as ground clutter can even fool pulse-Doppler radars when tracking a target less than 50 m from the surface. As for distance, while you can technically hit a target over 40 km from you, most pilots will begin notching when they see your missile approaching, if not as soon as the lock tone sounds. Therefore, it is advised to target hostiles under the 10 km range who will not have much time to react to your lock or missile.

Close Range

In head-ons, it is recommended to use your radar missiles, as they are essentially undodgeable if fired from more than about 4 km. However, it takes time to lock and launch, so sometimes it is better to sling an R-60 and hope for the best. While they are usually flared off the intended target, an R-60 can frequently parry an incoming missile, locking onto and destroying it instead. It is generally unwise to engage in a head-on that is too short range to use an R-27, as neither R-60s nor your single cannon is very effective. In most cases any damage in a close head on like this will be done to you, unless you are carrying gunpods. As with any other aircraft of this tier, it is ill-advised to enter a pitched, focused turnfight unless you are absolutely sure that no enemies are around, otherwise you will be a slow helpless target for a hungry missile. That said, the Yak-141 is a very dangerous opponent in a dogfight. It possesses the ability to vector its thrust and so turn in a way that belies your lumbering appearance. Your surprising turning ability can give you enough time, even when losing, to bleed their speed and force them to fight in a way that favors you. After a couple of turns, your speed will be low enough to engage your thrust vectoring. Lower your aft engine to about 55%, as it will still afterburn up to 57%, then use your fore engines to swing your nose toward your opponent. Your speed will continue to fall, but with the ability to hover, simply move to the center of your opponent's turn circle and transition to a dynamic hover, floating in the center of the circle while using your lead indicator to target them with your cannon. Try to get them to bleed until they stall or use your partial hover to outmanoeuvre them in a stall speed dogfight. Be careful, however, as it will take time to transition out of a short range fight. Enter at your peril.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• VTOL/Thrust Vectoring
• Surprising high speed manoeuvrability
• Excellent radar range/difficult to notch/IRST
• Sufficient fuel capacity for plenty of afterburning
• Heavy duty IR missile

Cons:

• Fairly low top speed for its BR
• R-60M is flared off easily
• Only carries four missiles

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Yak-141 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #345 - Metal Beasts section at 00:25 discusses the Yak-141.

Yak-141: A Basic Review - Tims Variety

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• [Devblog] Yak-141: Freestyle on the Deck

A.S. Yakovlev Design Bureau (Яковлев Опытное конструкторское бюро)
Fighters
Yak-1	Yak-1 · Yak-1B
Yak-3	Yak-3 · Eremin's Yak-3(e) · Yak-3 (VK-107) · Yak-3P · Yak-3T · Yak-3U
Yak-7	Yak-7B
Yak-9	Yak-9 · Yak-9B · Yak-9K · Golovachev's Yak-9M · Yak-9P · Yak-9T · Yak-9U · Yak-9UT
Twin-engine fighters	I-29
Jet fighters
Yak-15	Yak-15P · Yak-15
Yak-17	Yak-17
Yak-23	Yak-23
Yak-30	Yak-30D
Yak-141	Yak-141
Strike aircraft
Yak-2	Yak-2 KABB
Yak-38	Yak-38 · Yak-38M
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Foreign use	▄Yak-3 · Challe's ▄Yak-9T · ◔Yak-9P
Captured	▀Yak-1B