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.
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.
During the 1980s, the Czechoslovakian aerospace manufacturer Aero Vodochody was keen to further develop their successful L-39 Albatros, a trainer and light attack aircraft. It decided to produce a derivative with an improved fuselage, an elongated nose, and fitted with a more powerful Lotarev DV-2 turbofan engine capable of generating up to 21.6 kN (4,850 lbf) of thrust. The latter facilitated operations at higher weights, while the aircraft also had a higher maximum speed having risen to 872 km/h (542 mph)).[1] [2] The new aircraft was also furnished with more capable avionics and a vastly updated cockpit, which included a head-up display.[3] Initially, it was originally designated as the L-39MS; some time after conducting its maiden flight on 30 September 1986, the type was redesignated as the L-59.[4]
During 1992, a dedicated single-seat attack variant was proposed under the project name ALCA (Advanced Light Combat Aircraft); it was successfully marketed to the Czech Air Force.[5] Designated L-159A, the first flight of this variant was conduct on 2 August 1997. It features mostly Western avionics, with systems integration undertaken by Boeing. Furthermore, a new two-seat trainer has been flown as the L-159B Albatros II.[6]
By 2013, Aero's official website stated that the L-59 was no longer in production or available from the company. Services provided for the type included the provision of spare parts, service-life extensions, special repairs, overhauls, modifications and upgrades.[7]
Initial deliveries of the L-59 were made to the Czechoslovak Air Force, who briefly operated a small fleet of six L-39MS prior to the nation's separation into the Czech Republic and Slovakia; consequently, these aircraft were divided between the Czech Air Force and the Slovak Air Force.[4] The L-59's most numerous operator, and its first export customer, was the Egyptian Air Force; a total of 69 L-59E aircraft would be delivered to the service. Early Egyptian operations encountered poor engine reliability; this matter let to a contract to the American aerospace firm AlliedSignal to produce an improved digital engine control system.[8] The type had reportedly been intended for use as a lead-in-fighter trainer for the service's General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and Dassault Mirage 2000 fleets, and were equipped to be armed with Eastern-supplied weaponry. However, the Egyptian Air Force L-59s saw little use, allegedly being placed into storage around 1999.[9]
During the early to mid 1990s, various export opportunities were pursued by Aero Vodochody for the L-59, complimenting its continued sales efforts with the L-39 predecessor. One opportunity pursued was the Royal Australian Air Force's lead-in fighter-trainer requirement, an effort which would ultimately be unsuccessful. There were also proposed variants, such as the L-59F, that were to be provisioned with equipment from overseas suppliers, such as avionics from the Israeli company Elbit, and adoption of the American-Taiwanese Honeywell/ITEC F124 turbofan engine in place of the Lotarev DV-2 of earlier variants.[10]
In 1995, deliveries of L-59Ts commenced to the Tunisian Air Force, a total of 12 were delivered to the service.[11] The type has been typically used for advanced pilot training and weapons training purposes, with a secondary focus on conducting light combat operations as well. During the First Libyan Civil War in 2011, Tunisian L-59s commonly flew armed patrol missions along the country's border with Libya.[9] During April 2014, a number of Tunisian L-59s performed multiple reconnaissance missions and counter-insurgency (COIN) strikes in support of major military offensives in the border region of Mount Chaambi against Ansar al-Sharia and al-Qaeda-linked militants that aimed to destabilize Tunisia's transition to democracy.[12] In 2022, it was speculated that Tunisia's L-59T fleet would be rapidly replaced in the near future, the Boeing–Saab T-7 Red Hawk has been suggested as a candidate.[13]