Aero L-59 Super Albatros
The Aero L-59 Super Albatros is a military jet trainer produced by the Czechoslovakian aerospace manufacturer Aero Vodochody. It was developed from the firm's earlier and highly successful L-39 Albatros series.
| L-59 Super Albatros | |
|---|---|
| The first prototype L-39MS designated X-21, is currently in the Odolena Voda Technological Institute as teaching material. | |
| Role | Military trainer aircraft COIN |
| Manufacturer | Aero Vodochody |
| First flight | 30 September 1986 |
| Status | Out of production, in service |
| Primary users | Czech Air Force Egyptian Air Force Tunisian Air Force |
| Produced | 1986–1996 |
| Number built | 80 |
| Developed from | Aero L-39 Albatros |
| Variants | Aero L-159 Alca |
Being based on the L-39, it shares numerous similarities; in comparison to its predecessor, the L-59 featured a strengthened fuselage, longer nose, a vastly updated cockpit, advanced avionics, and a more powerful Lotarev DV-2 engine. First flown on 30 September 1986, it was procured by the Czech Air Force, Egyptian Air Force, and Tunisian Air Force; a total of 80 Super Albatros of three variants have been manufactured prior to the end of production. A further development would be produced as the Aero L-159 Alca, a Westernised attack-orientated model that shared its fuselage configuration with the L-59.
In service, the L-59 has been largely used for training purposes. It has also been deployed in front-line light combat roles, such as to patrol the border between Libya and Tunisia around the height of the First Libyan Civil War. Furthermore, Tunisian Air Force L-59s also performed aerial reconnaissance and ground-attack missions against Ansar al-Sharia and al-Qaeda-linked militants in 2014.