Alykov, an ethnic Tatar, was born on 20 August 1959 in Kapustin Yar in the Vladimirovskaya District of Astrakhan Oblast to a military family.
He joined the Soviet Army in 1976, and in 1980 graduated from the Kachinsk Military Aviation School.
Alykov flew the Sukhoi Su-17 between 1983 and 1984 in the Soviet–Afghan War and was awarded the Order of the Red Star.
For his actions in testing aircraft, Alykov was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation in 1998.
He was awarded Order "For Personal Courage" and of the Red Star, as well as a number of medals.
In 1990, Alykov and navigator Yuri Bramkov flew to Canada in a MiG-29UB for the 1990 National Capital Air Show.