Yakovlev Design Bureau (OKB-115) – A prominent Soviet/Russian aircraft design bureau founded by Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev in 1934, specializing in fighter aircraft, trainers, and later vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) technology. The bureau produced numerous significant military aircraft throughout the Soviet era, including the Yak-1, Yak-3, and Yak-9 piston-engine fighters of World War II, which were among the most successful Soviet fighters of the conflict. In the jet age, Yakovlev developed the Yak-15 and Yak-23 early jet fighters, the Yak-28 tactical bomber, and the Yak-38 “Forger” V/STOL carrier-based fighter. The bureau also became the leading Soviet producer of military jet trainers, including the widely-used Yak-130. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the design bureau continued operations as a joint-stock company and later merged into the United Aircraft Corporation. Yakovlev aircraft were exported to numerous countries and saw combat in various Cold War conflicts, with the bureau maintaining its reputation for practical, reliable designs suited to Soviet operational requirements.
