![]() Since the proposed Aero L-X supersonic fighter development proved to be financially demanding (up to US$2 billion), the less costly L-159 subsonic attack aircraft, derived from the L-39 Albatros, was approved for procurement instead. In 1993, a group of Czech military experts launched a project to produce a modern domestic fighter to replace the obsolete Soviet aircraft. The resulting L-39MS, later designed as L-59 Super Albatros, featured a more powerful turbofan engine, advanced avionics, and has been bought in quantity by Egypt and Tunisia. Nevertheless, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Czech company Aero Vodochody continued developing the basic L-39 Albatros design with a view toward greater export. Immediately after the 1989 Velvet Revolution, the president of Czechoslovakia Václav Havel declared a demobilisation of the Czechoslovak defence industry. During 2017, Aero Vodochody formally restarted production of the type, and unveiled a newly built L-159T1 for the Iraqi Air Force furthermore, the Czech Air Force was in the process of acquiring L-159T2 two-seaters. Since 2007, six L-159A aircraft have been rebuilt into T1 trainer derivatives. In Draken's service, the L-159 (colloquially known as " Honey Badger") has been employed as an aggressor aircraft for pilot training. The L-159 has seen active combat use by the Iraqi Air Force against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) insurgents in the country. Following several years of storage, the Czech government has re-sold most of the redundant aircraft to both military and civilian operators, namely the Iraqi Air Force and Draken International. In 2003, the Czech fleet of 72 L-159A aircraft was reduced to 24 due to budget constraints. Further development of the type proceeded, particularly of the twin-seat L-159 models. ![]() ![]() On 4 August 1997, the L-159 performed its maiden flight on 10 April 2000, the first production aircraft was delivered to the Czech Air Force. In 1998, the Boeing Company became a strategic partner in both the project and Aero Vodochody itself. Development was supported by the Czech government, which ordered 72 L-159A single-seat aircraft for roughly 50 billion CZK to equip the Czech Air Force. ![]() ![]() It was derived from the Aero L-59 Super Albatros trainer, which was in turn developed from the Aero L-39 Albatros series.ĭevelopment of the L-159 started in 1993 as an initiative to replace various Soviet-era fighter aircraft with a modern Czech-built equivalent it was decided against pursuing a clean-sheet design to avoid excessive costs. The Aero L-159 ALCA is a subsonic light combat aircraft and advanced trainer developed in the single-seat L-159A and two-seat L-159B versions respectively, produced in the Czech Republic by Aero Vodochody. ![]()
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