Aero L-59 Super Albatros

The Aero L-59 Super Albatros is a Czech military jet trainer developed from the firm's earlier L-39 Albatros. Compared to its predecessor, it featured a strengthened fuselage, longer nose, a vastly updated cockpit, advanced avionics (including head-up display), and a more powerful engine. At the time of its first flight on September 30th 1986, it was designated the L-39MS. Aero no longer produces this aircraft.

In 1992, a dedicated single-seat attack variant was proposed under the project name ALCA (Advanced Light Combat Aircraft), and was successfully marketed to the Czech Air Force. First flight of this variant, designated L-159A, was on August 2nd, 1997. The aircraft features mostly Western avionics, with systems integration undertaken by Boeing IDS. Since then a new two-seat trainer has been flown as the L-159B Albatros II.

Variants

 * L-59: Standard production version (six L-39MS for Czechoslovak Air Force). Later four in Czech Air Force, two in Slovak Air Force.
 * L-59E: Export version for Egypt. 49 x L-59s for Egyptian Air Force.
 * L-59T: Export version for Tunisia. 12 x L-59s for Tunisian Air Force.

Users

 * Czech Republic
 * Czech Air Force
 * Czechoslovakia
 * Czechoslovak Air Force
 * Egypt
 * Egyptian Air Force
 * Slovakia
 * Slovak Air Force
 * Tunisia
 * Tunisian Air Force

Related Development

 * Aero L-159 ALCA

Comparable Aircraft

 * Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master
 * BAe Systems Hawk
 * IAR-99 Șoim
 * PZL I-22 Iryda
 * Soko G-4 Super Galeb
 * Yakovlev Yak-130