Czechs Modify 4 Albatross, Tout The Plane to Colombia

AERO L-159A(click to view full) The L-159 is the Czech Republic’s subsonic, fully westernized successor to the popular L-39 trainer & light attack aircraft. The Czech government ordered and built 72 of these aircraft as the backbone of its air force, most of which were single-seat versions. Now that the Czechs fly the JAS-39 Gripen, the entry at GlobalSecurity.org, and the Czech government’s own L-159 page all report that the Czech Republic has been trying to get out of a procurement bind since 2002 by selling off 47 of these aircraft and keeping 24 for operational use (one aircraft has been lost, for a total of 72). Recently, L-159 manufacturer AERO Vodochody a.s. (AERO) signed a contract with the Czech Ministry of Defense to modify 4 of its operational L-159s into two-seat versions, to be delivered to the Czech Air Force (CzAF) during the year 2007. As AERO’s release notes, this effort will demonstrate the Albatross’ convertability into 2-seat versions that might be suitable for competitions like Israel’s trainer RFP. Or for Forward Air Control (FAC) and attack missions by countries like Colombia, as combat experience demonstrates that a second pilot makes a big difference to an aircraft’s ability to […]